Okamiden: Rising Heroes
by Yuki Usagi-Chan
Summary: Part three of the Rising Heroes Trilogy. 16 years have passed since the defeat of Yami. Now a new evil arises in Nippon. It's up to Chibiterasu and his big sister Miyumiterasu, children of the Sun, to take down evil once and for all. TO BE DISCONTINUED. . .FOR NOW.
1. Up In Heaven

**Bonjour everyone! Here is the final part for my Trilogy! I hope you enjoy it! Mere warning! This fanfiction contains much French. And my OC, Okami Miyumiterasu, is in this. Before reading this, you are advised to learn more about. Just go on my homepage and scroll down til you see her name. That is all! Adieu! **

**(P.S. I will be adding a French glossary so you know what Miyumi's saying!)**

**Yuki's Quick Trivia-Did you know that **_**Miyumiterasu **_**translates into "beautiful crescent moon shining over heaven"?**

_This is a chance for all the lovers.  
>Taking a chance for one another.<br>Finally it's our time now! _

-Our Time Now by the Plain White Ts.

**Miyumi's age-14 **

**Chibi's age-5 **

**Kurow's age-10 **

_It had been 16 years since Yami was slain and the mortal world was saved. Amaterasu, Susano, Tsukiyomi, and Waka had all returned to the Celestial and had begun to repair the remaining damage. After everything was set right and the beauty restored, the gods went about their daily business as they always did, watching for signs of evil and keeping the world beautiful. As things slowed down, life got boring. _

_After a month or so, Waka proposed to Amaterasu and they were married the next month. Amaterasu's brothers were wed as well. Tsukiyomi married Kaguya and Susano married Princess Riko. One or two years later, Amaterasu had a little girl named Okami Miyumiterasu. By the time Miyumi was nine, Amaterasu birthed another child, this time a boy, and named him Okami Chibiterasu. The two were incredibly sweet, brave, noble, and talented. Miyumi learned French and how to play the flute. _

_Later, Chibi learned the same things. Now that that's settled, let's start from the beginning, shall we? _

The sun shone brightly in the sky as the afternoon rolled on. The gods went about their daily work as usual. Susano, Tsukiyomi, Amaterasu, and Waka sat in a little group underneath a sakura tree, quietly chatting away. The children of the brush, their nieces and nephews rolled around and played with one another while their parents worked.

Not too far away from Amaterasu and Waka, sat their two children. A girl and a boy. The girl was 14 years of age. She had long snow white hair the tumbled down her back, pale peach skin, sky blue eyes, sharp claws and ivory fangs. She wore a white kimono dress with red embroidery with a red obi around her waist and tied in the back with an enormous red bow. She had two adorable white wolf ears and a long fluffy white wolf tail with a black tip. She was Okami Miyumiterasu, or Miyumi for short.

She held a light brown flute to her lips and played a peaceful lullaby as the sakura petals blew in the breeze. The flute was also a sword, a beam sword to be exact!

It concealed a long bright pink blade that glowed faintly. This sword was dubbed Sakura Strike, to honor the beautiful trees. Resting in Miyumi's lap, was small boy to the age of 5. His hair covered only the top of his head and was spiky on the bangs. (**A/N: Chibi has hair like Sota from Inuyasha does**) It was cloud white and soft. He had pale peach skin, sunshine amber eyes, and pointy claws and stainless white fangs.

He wore a white kimono shirt and white hakama, both having red embroidery. On his head sat two cute wolf ears and he had a small white wolf tail tipped black at the end. He was Okami Chibiterasu, or Chibi for short.

Anyways, Miyumi, the big sister, and Chibi, the little brother, sat watching the clouds roll by. Miyumi hit the last note of her song, before lowering her flute into her lap. She sighed happily and then looked at her brother.

"It's a lovely day, isn't it, _mon fr__è__re_?" she asked, a French accent tinting her voice. Chibi turned around and smiled at her, showing his ivory fangs.

"_Oui_! It sure is, Sissy!" he replied and Miyumi giggled. The two went back to lazing around, until Young Nuregami walked up to them up to them.

"Hey Mimi! Chibi! Will you play with us?" she begged, trying to do the puppy eyes routine. Miyumi narrowed her eyes and sighed. She was still tired from the last game. Chibi nodded and hopped out of her lap. "Sure!" he said happily. The two looked at Miyumi, who was staring off into space. "Um. . .Mimi?" Young Nuregami asked again. Miyumi looked at her.

"_Oui_?" she paused before correcting herself, "I mean. . .Hai?" she asked. No one, expect Chibi, her father Waka, and her mother Amaterasu, could understand her when she spoke French. Young Nuregami smiled. "Will you play with us?" she asked. Miyumi's answer took time.

"Uh, sure, I guess"

Young Nuregami brightly. "Yea! C'mon Mimi. We're gonna play Tag!" she shouted. Miyumi looked at her again, smiled, and got up. She followed her brother and snake cousin over to her other cousins, the children of the brush, and everyone began to dash around.

"Mimi's it! Mimi's it!" Young Moegami chirped. Miyumi giggled as she watched the children run from her. She scanned the area a bit before her eyes rested on Young Gekigami. She smirked and quietly tip-toed up behind him. Just as she was reaching out to touch his back, he looked behind him and dashed away. The young wolf goddess growled playfully and hurried after him.

The little tiger boy ran far ahead of his cousin and stopped to catch his breath behind a boulder. Miyumi leaped up, jumping from tree to tree, landing and clinging to the trunks. She stopped at one to look at the area below her. She gazed around before seeing Young Gekigami's small striped poking out from behind a massive rock. She smirked wickedly before jumping down from her perch. She quietly made her way over and placed a hand on his tail. The tiger boy whirled around in shock. Miyumi smiled at him.

"Tag! You're it!" she shouted happily before dashing away.

She was sure Young Gekigami was following her. She laughed and shouted, "Young Gekigami's it!" and all her cousins scrambled away from the tiger child. Miyumi hopped up onto a boulder and sat there, resting. Her cousins always wore her out and she needed frequent breaks from their games. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chibi make his way over to her, crawl onto the boulder, and ease his way into her lap. He would have stayed there, if it wasn't for his stomach growling.

Miyumi put her fingers to her mouth and giggled. "Are you hungry, Chibi?" she asked. Chibi nodded.

"_Oui_! Yeah! Pretty hungry!"

"What do you want? A Cherry Cake? An apple? A riceball?"

"Oooh! Oooh! A riceball! I want a riceball! Uh, please?" Chibi said, a bit of a French accent in his voice.

Miyumi placed her brother outside her lap and went inside the Celestial Palace to the kitchen. She found the remaining riceballs from last night's dinner and pulled out four, two for her, and two for Chibi. When she returned, Chibi was bouncing up and down. Riceballs were his favorite snack and he went crazy when he even heard the word 'riceball'.

Miyumi giggled and handed two of them to him, which disappeared from existence within seconds. Miyumi ate hers quickly as well. So Chibi wouldn't try to them from her. He'd done that before, when she wasn't looking. After they finished their snack, the two sat back down and watched the clouds.

After a moment or so, their father came over to them. "_Bonjour, ma fille and mon fils_!" Waka said in a fatherly tone. The two smiled. "Hi Papa!" they replied. They didn't always speak in French, they didn't need to. Waka smiled t them and his fingers through their snowy locks. Then, Miyumi's instincts kicked in and she realized something was bothering her father.

"Papa?"

"_Oui_?"

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Waka sighed and stood up. His daughter could read him like a book. "Miyumi, I need your help with something. Come with inside the Ark. Chibi go play with your cousins" he ordered softly. The little wolf boy nodded, climbed out of his sister's lap, and ran off to find his cousins. Waka helped his daughter up.

"Miyumi, would you take your Moon Tribe form? I need your help with something"

"Of course, Papa!" she replied. She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and began to focus. It wasn't long before a white light consumed her. After a moment, it faded and there, before Waka, stood Miyumi, dressed exactly like him. She wore a pink over kimono, purple hakama pants, white tabis, red geta, and a green hawk helmet with white banners tipped pink.

From her helmet, blonde locks could be seen. "Ready!" she confirmed and followed her father into the Ark. She watched the banners of her father's helmet flow out behind, as they always did. Finally, they reached the control room where all the Ark's functions could be accessed. Miyumi held the rim of her helmet with one hand and looked around.

Waka went over to a small table. He looked at his somewhat confused daughter. "Miyumi, come here. . ." he whispered. Miyumi nodded and went over to kneel beside him. On the table, was a small boy. He looked to be 10. He had short blonde that went a little ways past his ears, pale cream skin, and, as Miyumi was sure of, sky blue eyes. He wore a pink, sleeveless kimono top, a dark pink scarf, purple hakama pants, and red geta.

His eyes were closed, as if he were sleeping. Waka spoke to, but did not look over at, his daughter.

"Miyumi, _tu connais le garçon_?"

"Oui, _il s'appelle Kurow_"

"_Tr__è__s bien_! Do you know what his purpose is?"

"_Oui_!"

"_Très bien_! See that rocket over there? Pick him up and put him inside" Waka ordered gently. Miyumi nodded and picked up the child, bridal style. She supported his head with her shoulder and held him to her chest, as if he were a baby. She punched in the code for the rocket's door to open and, when the hatch opened, carefully slipped the boy inside. She placed a few things in with him and closed the hatch back up.

She typed in the command for the rocket to start up and, once it was all ready to go, hit the launch button. The rocket soared upwards and went through an open hatch in the side of the ship. No one on the Plain saw it leave. Miyumi sighed heavily and turned to her father. Waka smiled and hugged his daughter.

"_Merci _Miyumi" he whispered in her ear.

"_De rien p__è__re_" she replied and hugged him back before leaving.

_**An Hour Later. . . **_

Miyumi and Chibi sat beneath their favorite tree. Miyumi had reverted back to her Celestial form and allowed Chibi to sit in her lap, like he always does, and started to play her beautiful music on the flute. Chibi was slowly drifting to sleep, when the presence of a dark aura rushed through his body, making him shiver. Miyumi felt it too and rubbed her arms to warm up her body.

She placed Chibi outside her lap and to the edge of the Plain. Chibi sprinted behind her and stopped before he fell off the side.

"What's wrong, Sissy?" he asked. Miyumi glanced at him.

"There's something evil down there Chibi. And whatever it is, it's downright nasty!" she exclaimed. Chibi nodded.

"Yeah! We better go get Mama" he said, turning to leave. What he didn't count on was his sister jumping over the edge. Chibi's eyes widened and he dashed back over to the edge. "Sissy! SISSY!" he screamed. Miyumi fell through the clouds and disappeared. The little wolf god didn't want to be without his beloved sister. He felt safe around her, like nothing could touch him.

Knowing his sister couldn't return, he take a deep breath, closed his eyes, ran, and jumped over the side. He fell, and fell, and fell, plummeting to the mortal world below.

'_Well. . .Mama, Papa, Uncle Susano, and Uncle Tsukiyomi have had their turn, but now, it's mine and Sissy's turn! Time to prove that we have what it takes to be great Sun Gods!'_ he thought happily.

The gods have had their turn, but now, it's time for their children to shine. . .

**Wow! What a way to start a story, eh? I liked it! I also lol'd when I wrote that Miyumi picked up Kurow bridal style! I mean. . .how often does a girl do that to a boy? I mean really! Aha ha ha ha ha! I crack myself up! Ok, it's time for Yuki's Guide to French terms: **

_**Le/la-the **_

_**Fr**__**è**__**re-brother **_

_**Fils-son **_

_**Fille-daughter (also means "girl") **_

_**Tu connais-Do you know. . .? **_

_**Il-He/His **_

_**S'appelle- name is. . . **_

_**Merci-Thank you **_

_**De rien-You're welcome **_

_**P**__**è**__**re-Father **_

**Wow! I used a lot! Some you might already know, but I thought it would be good just to put it. Before I go, I would like to tell you NOT to put questions about the meaning of French words in your reviews. I f you leave a question, I will NOT answer it, understand? Okay, review and adieu! Byebye! **


	2. Let The Adventure Begin!

**Bonjour everyone! Here is chapter 2! Please enjoy. I would have posted it in yesterday morning, but I was at the dentists, getting my braces off. Yay me! XD But you didn't come to hear me say that, you came for the story. Well here it is! Adieu! **

When Chibi woke, he felt incredibly sore. "Ow. What happened?" he asked himself as soon as he gained consciousness. He struggled to stand up, and when he did manage to stand, he noticed everything was bigger. When he took a step forward, he saw a white blur. He looked down quickly, and what he saw shocked him.

There, right in front of him, was a small white paw.

He looked at it with curiosity and wondered, _'Is this MY paw?'_ He made it go up, and that's when he confirmed it was his. He looked around for a small body of water to see what he looked like. He spotted a small pond and hurried over to it.

He sat down and stared at his reflection. The clear water held the image of a wolf pup. He had snow white fur with red markings, sunlit amber eyes, two tiny wolf ears, and a foot long tail with a black tip. Chibi was still confused. He cocked his head and the reflective image did the same. Now the little pup was positive.

This was him.

"Well, I should've expected this when I jumped. Uncle Susano told me that a god must take their animal form when leaving Heaven in order to hide their real selves" he said to his reflection. Okay, so he knew this was himself, but. . .where was Miyumi?

The cub shot up and looked around for her. Was she alright? Where was she? "Sissy! Where are you? Sissy!" Chibi called. He dashed in different directions, not caring where he was, just to find his sister. He ran around for a few more minutes before he found something. A beautiful snow white wolf with crimson markings, sky blue eyes, and a flaming disk with red, blue, green, and orange flames swirling around it. **(A/N: Miyumi is bigger than Chibi, but smaller than her mother in her wolf form)**

She was lapping up water when he called out to her. "Um. . .excuse me?" he asked and the she-wolf lifted her head. Her eyes widened. "Ch-Chibi?" she asked. Chibi froze in his place. Was she. . .?

"S-sissy?" he asked, taking a step forward. The older wolf nodded and went to him. Chibi trotted to her and touched noses with her. "Hi Miyumi-chan!" he greeted, wagging his small tail. The older wolf, or shall I say, Miyumi, gave him a grin. When they parted, they looked around. Miyumi suggested they have a look around before going anywhere.

They searched the area quite well, poking around in bushes and holes, looking up trees and over boulders.

"Uh, Sissy?"

"Hmmm?"

"Is this. . .the mortal world?"

"Yup! It's odd really"

"Odd? Why?"

"Well, for starters, the evil aura just got a whole lot stronger. I felt it course through my veins, making my heart shiver with fear. There's no doubt about it. . .evil is here. But yet, everything looks so calm and peaceful" Miyumi breathed softly. She saw her brother shiver. She went to him and wrapped her tail around his small body. Chibi relaxed at the warmth from his sister's tail and gave her nod, indicating that he was okay.

The two walked up a cliff and peered out. Chibi sat beside his sister and stared in amazement. Down below them, was a tiny village. There weren't many buildings nor many people, but it was very cute and the air was extremely clean.

"Wow! What a view!" the small pup exclaimed. Miyumi nodded, sat down, and overlooked the area, her beautiful eyes training over every detail of the settlement. The two wished they could gaze forever, but a small cry for help snapped them from that thought. Miyumi's head snapped in the direction of the noise. "What the-?" she asked. Chibi followed his sister's gaze.

Down below, two green imps were hopping around, encircling a small, bouncing green creature.

"Monsters!" Miyumi hissed. On her back, her weapon, Solar Flare, blazed as her temper heated up. She despised monsters so much it made her ill, but not literally. She lowered her body into an attack crouch and growled deathly. Chibi wasn't sure what to do at the moment. Without warning, Miyumi leapt from the cliff and headed towards the monsters. She stopped when she realized her brother wasn't behind her.

"Chibi! C'mon!" she growled, patiently. Chibi could sense anger in his sister's voice, but it wasn't towards him. He nodded and ran to catch up to her. Once in range within his sister, the two rocketed towards the area where they ran straight through the small scene, grabbed the little creature, and left the monsters behind them.

The imps looked very confused and dumbfounded.

"What happened?" one asked.

"Where'd that Poncle go? What saved him?" the other asked. A female voice got their attention.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here" it said and the two monsters whipped around. They stared at two very familiar looking wolves, both possessing white coats with red markings and divine instruments.

The bigger one was female, the tinier one was male. The two leapt in surprise, but held their ground.

"W-who do you think you are, stealing our prey like that?" one imps asked. Miyumi smirked wickedly and it made the two demons shiver. Chibi tried his best to pull off that wicked look too, but just barely came close. Miyumi lowered her body again, and Chibi did the same, and the two breathed so heavily, it looked like they had smoke coming out of their nostrils.

The green creature was in shock when he came around. "Y-you guys are. . . !" it didn't get the chance to say more, because Miyumi snapped at it. "Hush! We'll talk later, little guy! Let me and him deal with these dumb dumbs first!" she shouted. The creature didn't protest.

Soon, the area was a battle zone.

Miyumi took on one imp while Chibi took the other. The little creature, who was resting on Chibi's head, was shocked by their speed and skill. He tried explaining something things to them, but it seemed they weren't listening. Miyumi completely ripped through her imp, and allowed the corpse to vanish into sakura petals. Chibi finished his off in record time.

Once the battle was done and done, the two wolves made themselves present in front of the creature they had rescued. The little being looked impressed. "Wow! Just like two pups to get rid of those demons in the blink of an eye!" he stated quite clearly.

Miyumi rolled her eyes while Chibi smiled. "Thanks mister!" the tiny pup answered.

"Now, now, that was nothing, I assure you!" the older pup responded, her voice a little cold. The creature gave her a hard look and a thought popped into his head. He suddenly realized something.

"And unless my eyes are playing tricks on me. . ." he paused, gazing over both pups, the younger one and the older one, ". . .you two are the spitting image of Ammy!" he declared. The two wolves looked very confused. Chibi tilted his head. "'Ammy'? Oh! I know who you mean!" he said before looking at his sister.

"You know who he's talking about, Miyumi-chan?" he asked again. Miyumi smiled and nodded, then focused on the creature.

"Well, since we saved you, it's only right that we tell you our names. _Je m'appelle_-" she was cut short by the rolling fog. Just then, the sky turned a magenta purple, consuming the clouds and the sun altogether.

"Wh-wh-whoa! Why's it so dark all of a sudden!" the creature asked, his voice filled with panic. Miyumi felt an evil aura course through her body and she twitched uneasily. Chibi looked scared for a moment. "You sense something, Sissy?" he asked, trying to calm down. His sister looked him in the eye and nodded.

The two looked at their newfound friend when he started talking again. "I've got a really, really bad feeling about this" he said, his voice shaky. Miyumi gave him a soft look. "Trust me, my friend. You're not the only one" she growled gently.

The creature shivered some more, acknowledging what she said. "If Ammy were here, she'd climb up to the highest platform. . .and call the sun back with a swish-swish of her tail. . ." he explained, still shaking with worry. Chibi and Miyumi looked at each other.

"Sissy, you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked in a whisper.

"Yeah! So, let's find someplace high up and call the sun back out!" Miyumi stated. Chibi wagged his tail.

"Awesome! Let's do it together!" he barked happily. Miyumi nodded and ran ahead. Chibi followed her close behind, the two not even saying a thing to the creature behind them. The small being was shocked to see them dash off.

"Hey! Where do you two you're going?" it asked, but the two didn't stop to answer. They just kept on going. The creature sighed and hurried after the pups. Minutes later, Miyumi and her brother found themselves at the highest point in the village.

"We're here! We're here! Now let's call out the sun, Sissy!" Chibi barked cheerfully. Miyumi nodded, giggling at her brother's suspense. He was so cute when he was excited. Miyumi noticed their new friend com up behind them and make his way in front of them.

He gave them a serious look. "Don't tell me you two think you can imitate Ammy's brush skills. . ." he said, sounding as if he had no confidence in them at all. Miyumi looked greatly offended.

"How dare you! If Ammy can do it, we can too! Right Chibi?" she asked, looking over at her brother. Chibi nodded, looking forward to telling their doubtful friend off.

"Yeah! We'll show you!" he barked.

The creature sighed again. "OK, OK! If you two want to give it try that badly, be my guests. Just draw a circle in the sky. Simple as that" he explained. Miyumi snuffed.

"We know that! How old do you think we are? Two?" she asked, her voice very rude. Chibi tried to cheer her up. "C'mon Sissy! What he says doesn't matter! Let's just draw the sun and prove him wrong!" he shouted confidently.

Miyumi nodded and wiggled her nose. In a flash, a pot of Holy Ink appeared and, using her tail, Miyumi sliced the lid off. She and Chibi then dipped their tails in and looked up at the sky. Chibi drew one half while his sister drew the other.

In a matter of seconds, the crimson red sun appeared and then sky returned to being its rich light blue color. The creature was in shock. He gazed at the sky for a moment before turning back to the two pups. Miyumi smirked wickedly. "Well? How was that? Good enough, I hope?" she asked. Issun stared in complete shock. Finally, he managed to say something.

"Hey! A-are you two Ammy's kids or something?" he asked, shocked. Miyumi grinned slyly and showed an ivory fang. "You know it!" she stated. The two pups looked at each other before looking back at their friend.

"I'm Okami Miyumiterasu, daughter of the Sun Goddess herself Amaterasu!" Miyumi stated. It was Chibi's turn.

"And I'm Okami Chibiterasu, son of the Sun Goddess and little brother of Miyumiterasu" he barked.

"And we're the Children of the Sun!" they said together. The little creature looked angry. "How could you two keep something like that from me?" he asked, bouncing around like mad. Miyumi sat down and brushed a paw over her mouth, like mother would. "Well, for starters, you didn't bothering asking" she hissed. Chibi nodded, as if adding on to his sister's statement.

The creature wasn't happy at all. "That's the kind of stuff you're suppose to tell me FIRST!" he growled. Miyumi rolled her eyes this time. "Why would we tell a complete stranger who our mother is if we just met him?" she asked, eyeing her friend angrily. Chibi stared at the little being.

"She's right, ya know!" he huffed. The creature started to calm down. "Never mind, you two. I figured it out, so it's okay. After all. . .only the great Sun Goddess herself can use Sunrise at will!" he stated. Miyumi smiled and nodded.

"Yup! That's our Mama alright!" she stated clearly. She then noticed a questioning look on their friend's face.

"Wait, hold on! If Ammy is your mom, then who did she. . .?" he started to ask, but stopped upon seeing Miyumi's frightened expression. Chibi looked confused.

"Sissy, what's he talking about?" he asked, his voice extremely cute. Miyumi's eyes widened even more. "Uh, um, I. . .uh. . .I think he wants to know who our father is. _Oui_, that's it! He wants to know who our father is!" she said, grabbing that thought quickly. Chibi gave a small grin.

"Really? Okay!" he turned back to their friend, "You want to know our Papa? Well-" he was cut short by the little creature.

"Never mind! That's not any of my business! Anyway!" he stated, clearing his throat, "The name's Issun. I'm your mother's Celestial Envoy, and a darn good one, too!" he declared as if it was such a big accomplishment. Miyumi tilted her head.

"Oh, so YOU'RE Issun! Our mother talks about you a lot. Right Chibi?" she asked. Chibi nodded.

"Yeah! But she also says you're not really good company. In fact, you're boring us right now" the little pup yawned. Issun's temper flared up.

"Hey! A Celestial Envoy is a pretty important person!" he was surprised when Miyumi yawned and began licking her paw.

"It's nothing to yawn at, I'll have you two know!" he growled and Miyumi snickered. Chibi did the same. Issun grumbled, he was annoyed.

"Hmph. That aloof attitude—you two are Ammy's kids, alright" he confirmed. Miyumi gave him her "Whatever!" look and watched her tail twitch. Chibi started pawing at it as Miyumi drew it back. Issun bounced in front of them to get their attention.

"Anyway!" he hissed, startling the small pup and his teenage sister. "What I want to know is why the demons are back" he said. Miyumi began to look concerned. Chibi noticed this.

"What's wrong, Miyumi-chan? What does he mean when he said they came back?" he asked. Miyumi gave him her bravest look.

"I learned from Uncle Tsukiyomi that over 200 years ago, an evil being named Yami unleashed his monster army upon this land. If it weren't for Mama, Papa, and our uncles, this place and Heaven would be ruled by demons" she explained. Chibi shivered. Demons had attacked the mortal world before?

Issun seemed to ignore their small conversation and went on. "Ammy took care of them, so they should be on the Celestial Plain" he stated. Miyumi was scratching her ear, as if ignoring him. _'Ugh! I can see why Mother finds him annoying!'_ she thought. When she finished, she shook herself and stared at the Poncle.

Chibi cocked his head. "Mama already took care of them there too! So, her job is done for now!" he stated. Issun nodded and looked at Miyumi. She glared at him.

"_Oui_? I mean-Hai?" she asked, correcting herself. Like the bug boy would ever understand French. Issun was shocked for a moment.

"D-did you. . .speak _French_. . .!" he asked, still shocked. Miyumi nodded slowly, wondering what was bothering him.

"Why are you asking? Is something wrong? You looked disturbed" she growled softly. When he had heard the French word for 'yes', he had assumed something, but shook off the thought. _'Like Ammy would ever let __**him**__ father her kids! That's just rubbish!_' he thought to himself. He was brought from his thoughts by Miyumiterasu.

"Hello! Anyone home? Earth to Issun!" she growled. The tone of her voice told him she was very annoyed. Yup, Ammy's daughter alright! _'Since that half-baked prophet lives with them, she probably picked up some of his dialect! I shouldn't be worrying'_ he thought again. He looked at Miyumi calmly.

"Sorry for zoning out on you like, Miyumi! Anyway, I need to know why the demons are back! You know anything?" he asked. Miyumi tilted her head. She was searching for an answer. Suddenly, it came to her.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I don't know why. The only thing I know is that Chibi and I sensed a dark aura emitting from the mortal world. We had to investigate, it so tempting!" she confessed. Issun nodded and thought some more.

How could they find out about the demons returning? There had to be some way! After a moment of thinking, the answer came to him. He bounced up happily, surprising the two pups. Chibi looked the most surprised. "What's up, Issun?" he asked curiously.

"I've got it! We need Miss Sakuya! If anyone knows what's going on around here, Miss Sakuya will!" he stated. Miyumi was unfamiliar with the name. Who was Miss Sakuya? Was she a Poncle like Issun? Anyway, it was bound to be interesting.

She glanced at her younger brother, he seemed to be thinking the same. The two smiled at each other, before turning back to Issun. He seemed pleased with himself.

"Sorry, Miyumi! You too, Chibi! We're gonna have to save the chit-chat for later! Right now, we've gotta make tracks for Kamiki Village!" he stated very clearly. Miyumi nodded and got up. Chibi happily pranced to her side. Issun climbed onto Chibi's head since he didn't really trust Miyumi a whole lot.

He feared she might eat him like Ammy had done when they had first met. That was not a pleasant day for him. "Well? What are we waiting for? Let's jet!" she shouted, running off. Chibi reacted fast when his sister dashed away.

"Wait for me, Sissy!" he called. Issun was totally unprepared for the pup's take off. The littler pup had a hard time keeping up with Miyumi because she was older and her legs were longer. She also had more strength and stamina. Her spirit was just as stronger as she was! Anyway, the two wolves raced throughout the small settlement and hurried out.

When they entered Shinshu Field, Issun started talking to them. "So, what's it like up there? In Heaven, I mean?" he asked. Miyumi answered, but didn't look at him.

"Pretty good. The island's beautiful, much prettier than any painting! It's so serene and peaceful there, it's almost like the entire world is at peace" she explained. Chibi yipped in agreement, catching up to his sister and keeping pace with her. He was right next to her right side.

Issun smiled, closed his eyes, and dreamed about being there. The sounds of creek water flowing and the soft tweet of birds would be great to listen to. He was sure there would be crickets at night, chirping and making beautiful music as the night rolled on.

He was woken up by Miyumi's lovely, yet angry tone of voice. "Yo Issun! Anything else you wanna know?" she growled. Issun shivered. Miyumi definitely had her mother's anger problems. He shook himself and held up a fist.

"Uh, yeah! You guys know who Waka is, right?" he asked. Miyumi nodded, but Chibi tilted his head. Waka? Who's Waka? He wanted to ask, but his sister's voice came first.

"Yeah, we know! He's awesome! I love his flute music!" she said, imaging her father sitting in a tree, playing beautiful music as sakura petals blew in the wind. She sighed and glanced behind. What she saw, shocked her. Issun looked annoyed and angry. Miyumi scowled.

"What's up with you?" she asked.

"I can't believe you two admire that prophet!" he snarled.

"Well, we do! Why, what's wrong with him?" Miyumi spat. Issun crossed his arms. "That guy annoys me to no end! He thinks he's the bee's knees! He also seems to think he's a know-it-all! I would be outraged if he was your father! Ammy shouldn't trust him! You know, when you spoke French, I had my suspicions that he _**WAS**_ you father, but we all know he isn't. From how Ammy acts around him, she doesn't like him at all. How silly of me! Aha ha ha ha ha ha!" he laughed, falling backwards.

Miyumi sweat dropped uneasily. _'He really hates Papa. Better not tell him anything. I don't want Mama getting into trouble!'_ she thought to herself. She noticed Chibi's confused look. He stared at her.

"Sissy, who's Waka?" he asked and Miyumi gave a shocked look accompanied by a sweat drop. She replied quickly while Issun was still laughing. "He's someone Mama knows. Anyway, that doesn't matter right now. Let's get to Kamiki!" she stated, changing the subject.

Chibi nodded and continued running. Miyumi was surprised, shocked, and dumbfounded at the same time. _'He knows French, he knows the Periodic Table, he knows the Metric System, he knows the signs of the Zodiac, and he knows how the Ark works, but he doesn't know his own father's name? Well, that and he doesn't know how to read yet. Surprisingly he can read French and Moon Tribe, but the normal language. . .maybe I should educate him more?'_ she asked herself in thought.

Finally, they reached the entrance to the village. Issun had recovered from laughing and was clutching his hurt sides. "Okay, here we are! This is the entrance to Kamiki Village! We're close to finding the answers we seek!" he said cheerfully. Miyumi nodded and went on in, behind her closely followed Chibi. The littler wolf pup was thinking as he walked.

'_Well, I guess it's mine and Sissy's turn to save the world. I wonder. . .did Mama ever see this coming?'_ he asked himself in thought.

**Phew! That's done! What did ya think? I'd love to know! You know what to do, but before that, it's for Yuki's Guide to French Terms! **

_**Je m'appelle**_**-My name is. . .**

**Sorry if there was only one this time! There will be more next chapter! Review and adieu! See ya later!**


	3. Problems,Situations,and Friends! Oh My!

**I'm back everybody! Did ya miss me? Anyways, let's get started with chapter 3, shall we? But first, it's time for. . .Yuki's Quick Trivia Question!**

**Q: What is Miyumi's catchphrase? **

**Hint: It involves something really fast.**

**The answer will be revealed in the chapter! Let's start the show! **

When the trio entered the village, Miyumi and Chibi were in awe. It was so cute! Small, but cute! The huts were nice and perfect, there were some adorable animals, and beautiful plants grew up around the village, making nice backdrops for the whole settlement.

Miyumi made a cute face and smiled. "Awww! This is soooo precious! What do you think, Chibi?" she asked, not opening her eyes. Even without looking, she knew Chibi was agreeing.

"You're right, Sissy! This is adorable!" he yipped happily. Issun gave a small chuckle. Then, he examined the surrounding area. Once he confirmed that there were no demons, he started talking to his two new companions.

"Doesn't look like there are any evil spirits hanging around here" he stated. Miyumi opened her eyes and looked serious. She nodded in understanding while watching Chibi shuffle his paws and move closer to her.

Issun knew what was on their minds. He could tell there was some kind of concern within the two pups. He cleared his throat.

"C'mon, let's go find Miss Sakuya" he said cheerfully, trying his best to lighten the mood. Miyumi gave him her special grin and pranced on ahead, followed by her dear little brother. Chibi stayed at his sister's heels, for he felt safe as long as he was with her.

The two were stopped by Issun when they approached an old man with an orange on his head. Issun gave a happy smile. "This is Mr. Orange. He's the village leader. Don't let this guy's age fool you. When he drinks. . .he breaks out into some crazy dance!" he declared. Both pups were shocked as well as happy.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir! _Comment allez-vous_?" she asked, neither Issun nor Chibi missed the French in her voice. She looked at Chibi and he looked at her. He was confused. Did she want him to say something? He tensed up nervously when her face grew stern. It was obvious what she wanted now.

"Uh, _Bonjour monsieur_!" he stated. He looked at Miyumi again. Her expression told him that she was satisfied. Issun sweated uneasily. When were they gonna stop with the French? More importantly, would they ever?

It took Mr. Orange to notice the trio. When he finally did, he was shocked.

"Hmm? I-It's two white wolves!" he stated. Miyumi and Chibi stared in shock. Chibi was very confused. They were just white, they had beautiful red markings and gorgeous weapons. Why couldn't he see them? The little pup turned to his sister, looking for an answer.

"Sissy, why did he call us white wolves? Were not just white!" he whimpered. Miyumi was confused too. She didn't know. Why? Because her parents never told her! She shook her head and continued to listen to the old man.

". . .Were you two there when Nagi defeated the evil Orochi?" he asked and the two pups cocked their heads. Miyumi sweat dropped. "Oh boy. . ." she said in a very dull voice. Chibi nodded and sat down next to her. Issun sighed and shook his head. The two wolves zoned out while the elder talked.

"Ohh! It's the great white wolf, Shiranui! But who is this older wolf? His mate perhaps? No wait! His sister?" he asked. Luckily, the two did not hear him. Issun sighed again, stood up and put his hands n his hips.

"You know you said the same thing when you met Ammy?" he asked, confronting the older geezer. Miyumi looked at the boy. "Really. . .?" she asked, her curiosity peaking. Issun nodded and went back to Mr. Orange. "Well, I guess the three of them do look like Shiranui. I guess. . ." he replied sourly. Miyumi rolled her beautiful eyes. "Whatever! I really don't care that much anyway!" she said truthfully.

Chibi bounced on his small paws. "Me too! Me too!" he yipped. Miyumi giggled. The two enjoyed the rest of the conversation with the old man, hearing about food and more junk about Shiranui. Issun made a remark about how normal people couldn't see their markings or weapons. Only those who believed in the gods could see them.

With that, Miyumi and Chibi made a note and continued onward. They raced through the village and hiked up the hill. Once on top, they climbed another slope which led to a giant sakura tree with a shrine gate in front of it.

Miyumi and Chibi gazed in awe and wonder as the stood before it. For some odd reason, they felt closer to their mother, just by standing near it. Issun smiled and giggled at their faces. "This, you two, is the sacred tree of Kamiki Village—Konohana! Miss Sakuya's spirit resides inside it" he explained.

Miyumi walked to the blossoming tree with ease and grace, with Chibi admiring her movements. Not only did he think his sister was cool, he also thought she was the most beautiful being to ever exist! He was so wrapped up by his thoughts, that he barely heard her voice.

"C'mon Chibi! Get the led out!" she snapped, but her voice was soft. Chibi shook himself and followed her, standing by her right shoulder. Issun called out.

"Yo, Miss Sakuya! What the heck's been going on lately?" he asked, jumping off Chibi's head, "Demons have been out walking around like they own the place!" It didn't take long for a swish of pinks and reds to appear before the trio's eyes. When it vanished, a lovely young woman was in its place.

She had raven black hair tied up top with a leaf hairpin while two bundles tumbled down and forest green eyes. She wore a pink kimono dress with a red obi and purple streamer-like wisps floating around her. Her face held a rose pink blush and there was a black outlined circle on her forehead. When she spoke, it was like feeling soft silk.

"Ah, my little bug. As noisy as ever" she remarked. Issun's face scrunched up slightly, he was annoyed but kept his mouth shut. Sakuya noticed the two white wolves with red markings. She slowly approached them. She stared at Chibi.

"And that coat of purest white can only mean it is you, Amaterasu" she said softly. Chibi was surprised. This woman knew his mother? And did she think he was his mother? He dismissed it and continued to listen. Miyumi was as silent as ever.

"You are the Great Goddess who fought evil. . .You are never changing and. . .Wait. . ." she said pausing. She moved closer to Chibi to examine his appearance better.

"I think you're. . .You look a bit. . ." she was very confused, "Did you shrink since we last met. . .?" she asked. Issun butted in. "Miss Sakuya! This is not the time for jokes! This here isn't Ammy! It's Ammy's son, Chibi!" he shouted, getting rid of the annoyance he had been hiding earlier.

This statement surprised Sakuya. She made a sudden jerking movement. "Ah, I see now. The resemblance is quite striking" she paused, turning to Miyumi. "Then you must be Amaterasu" she stated. Miyumi's expression turned shocked.

"_Qu'est-ce que_!" she asked. Sakuya came closer. "Forgive, Great Mother. I did not mean to confuse you with your child. Please accept my most sincere apologies. Allow me to give you a proper welcome, oh Benevolent One!" she cried. Miyumi felt extremely uneasy. Sakuya gave a shy smile.

"Dear Mother, I welcome back to the land of mor-Wait a moment!" she said, closely examining Miyumi's face. She cupped the she wolf's chin in her hands and stared into her eyes. They were sky blue. Full of shock, she pulled away.

"These are not the eyes of Amaterasu. Who are you, my dear?" she asked. Miyumi was about to speak, but Issun got fed up. "Ugh! Geez, you can't even tell who furball is anymore, can you? This is **NOT** Ammy. Allow me to introduce her daughter, Miyumi!" he shouted happily. Again, Sakuya's body jerked.

"Oh, Amaterasu had two children? And such lovely ones at that!" she leaned in, giving the two an admiring look. "You both are indeed Miyumiterasu and Chibiterasu!" she cried joyously. Miyumi nodded. Chibi did the same.

Issun smirked wickedly. "Why don't you two give her a good bite so she doesn't forget!" he growled. Unfortunately, the two ignored him and gave Sakuya friendly licks to the face. Issun fell over in defeat and disappointment.

". . .Um. . .That's not what I'd call a bite" he stated, sweating like crazy. Sakuya smiled and giggled.

"You're both so cute! Good girl, good girl. Good boy, good boy" she whispered happily to them. The two gave her adorable whimpers. Issun got fed up and started shouting.

"Quit playin' around, you three! We've got stuff to discuss!" he hissed. Sakuya's head snapped up at his protests. Miyumi and Chibi got down from Sakuya and she cleared her throat with a cough.

"Those demons you saw are harbingers of a greater evil I fear. . .Nippon is in great danger" she murmured uneasily. The two heavenly pups did not miss the fear and worry in her voice.

"Please ease yourself, _Mademoiselle_ Sakuya" Miyumi said softly, trying her best to confront the woman. Issun sighed, he was a little upset, but not by much. "And here I was just getting used to my new job" he stated, "But I guess I'm up for an adventure just like the one I had with Ammy!" Miyumi could tell he was getting excited.

'_I wonder. . .What will it be like to travel with Mama's old companion? He sure seems to make things interesting. But then again. . .__**I**__ make things exciting!'_ she thought to herself. Then, she sighed. Oh, how arrogant and full of herself she sounded! Makes you wonder who she got it from, doesn't it?

A small nudge from Chibi directed Miyumi's attention back to Sakuya and Issun. The sprite looked sorry for Issun. "I am sorry, Issun" she whispered, "But you cannot accompany Miyumiterasu and Chibiterasu on their journey" she said. When those words hit Issun's ears, he was mad.

"_**WHAT! **_Why not?" he asked, his voice filled with anger and disappointment. Sakuya tried her best to be sympathetic towards him.

"Because you must carry out the duties of a Celestial Envoy" she explained, her voice soft. Issun sighed in complete sadness. He wouldn't be able to help the children of his best friend out on their adventure. Then, some thoughts came to him. He bounced over to the two.

"But what about Chibi? He's not as powerful as Ammy," he then went over to Miyumi, "And how about Miyumi here? I mean, she packs a punch and can shred demons like they were rice paper, but. . .she doesn't seem to have Ammy's special touch to it" he explained. The two pups hung their heads in shame.

They were nothing compared to their mother. Chibi whimpered and pushed himself up against his onee-chan. "Are we really that weak, Miyumi-chan?" he asked, staring at his sister's lovely face. Miyumi sighed and glanced at him.

"I don't know, Chibi. I don't know. . ." her voice trailed off along with her sadness. Issun noticed their conversation and tried to back them up. "Isn't it good to try and help others?" he asked, hoping for some good answer. The pups looked at the sprite before them.

Sakuya was in thought when an eerie gust of wind blew and the sky started to fill with black, stormy clouds. Issun looked alarmed. "Hey! Why's it getting so dark?" he asked. Chibi shivered and took cover under Miyumi between her legs. Miyumi crouched lowered, sheltering her brother with her body.

A slight red fog caused the clouds to go a little blood red and the wind picked up. Lightning cracked and zapped overhead. Just then, a bolt hurtled downward and struck Konohana, leaving the tree with a nasty split down the middle and some hot fumes arising from it.

Sakuya started to feel faint and looked like she'd collapse at any moment. "My. . .power. . .is fading. . ." Her voice was shaky and soft. Miyumi and Chibi braked in panic. Was Sakuya going to die?

Issun was alarmed, but tried his best to stay calm. "No problem! I'll just use a Celestial Brush skill I picked up!" he shouted. The pups ceased their yips and relaxed. Issun quickly drew around the broken and deformed tree. Once finished, he waited for the result. There was a poof of magic, but the tree showed no signs of healing.

Issun was in shock. "What! But I saw Ammy do it so many times!" he wailed. The Poncle turned to the Children of the Sun. "Miyumi! Chibi! Tell me you can fix this! If you really are Ammy's kids, then this should be no big deal, right?" he asked, sweating like mad.

Miyumi looked uneasily at Issun, then at Chibi. He was feeling the same way. Then, something snapped in their heads and they looked confidently at each other. Nodding, the two turned back to the sky and barked.

Issun gave a blank look and sweated. "Um. . .Barking's not gonna help you. You two know that, right?" he asked. Before another word could be spoken, a bright, beautiful light consumed the area, leaving behind only a dragon-shaped pattern of stars.

Issun was very surprised by this. After giving them some pointers, Miyumi got out the Holy Ink pot, sliced off the cap, and she dipped her tail in. Chibi did the same. Like the two had done back in other village, Miyumi drew half and Chibi drew the other half.

Within mere moments, the three found themselves in the golden realm of the gods.

"Hey Chibi look!" Miyumi yipped excitedly. Chibi followed his sister's gaze and saw a Chinese Dragon doing tricks in the air. The two pups jumped with excitement.

"Hi Uncle Yomigami!" they yipped in unison. The old dragon noticed his wolf niece and nephew and grinned.

"Ah, Miyumi! Chibi! So this is where you two ran off to! Well, allow my sons to give you what you need, then we can talk" he explained and flew upward, dropping two bundled purple scrolls.

The scrolls jumped and bumped, until two tiny seahorses came out, both brimming and shining with excitement. Chibi smiled and wagged his tail.

"Yukio! Youta!" he barked. Miyumi smiled, happy to see some of her cousins again. The twin seahorses smiled and jumped.

"Oh look! It's Mimi and Chibi! We found you! And now that we have, let's get started shall we?" they asked. The wolf pups nodded and sat before them, listening.

"_O Children of the Great Sun, we are the young Yomigami. Our parents served your mother, the Great Goddess Amaterasu, and so we, too, desire to serve you_" the twin brothers said.

Miyumi and Chibi sweat dropped. "Oh brother. . ." Miyumi groaned. She didn't understand why her cousins had to speak to them like this. She sighed and continued to listen.

"_We two siblings offer unto you our undying devotion, and the power of Rejuvenation that we have inherited!_" the twins finished. The raised their orbs to the sky and some sparkles appeared and rose upward, creating a small Japanese symbol.

It flew into Miyumi, then into Chibi and made them glow brightly. They were about to go, when their uncle flew down to them.

"My niece and nephew, some words of advice. . .Rejuvenation restores not only things around you, but can restore your balance of heart and soul. Your grace will be restored, so that you may move amongst this world as easy as ever. That is all. Goodbye for now, my niece and nephew" the old dragon said before vanishing with his sons.

Light consumed the area, and the two found themselves back in the village. Issun told them what to do and the two fixed the tree. Magic filled the sapling to its roots and it reappeared fixed, good as new.

Sakuya appeared, she looked as strong and as healthy as ever. She smiled.

"Thank you Miyumiterasu and Chibiterasu. . .But without the flowers in bloom, I cannot aid you" she explained, a pang of sadness in her voice. Miyumi's ears drooped. Chibi pressed into her side, as if trying to comfort her.

Issun started up. "Well Miyumi, Chibi, I can't help you, and Miss Sakuya's out of the question. . .Looks like were gonna have to find you two a partner. . ." he said glumly. Miyumi huffed in annoyance while Chibi whimpered in sadness.

Issun tried to help, but couldn't think of a thing to say, so he ducked his head and sighed. Then, I thought came to him. "I suppose I can help you with that! I need a break from being a Celestial Envoy anyway!" he said cheerfully. Miyumi's head snapped up.

"Really? You mean it?" she asked hopefully. Issun nodded and hopped onto Chibi's head. The little pup looked up at the Poncle. "Will you really help us, Issun?" he asked. Issun gave both pups a smile.

"You bet! I'll stay with you two until we find you both a suitable partner! OK?" he asked. Miyumi and her brother were both happy that Issun was willing to take time away from being an Envoy to help them out, but they really wanted to be able to work with their mother's old companion.

Miyumi didn't say a word and looked away. Chibi pressed to her, whimpering. Sakuya's soft voice got their attention.

". . .Their fates are in your hands, little one" she explained, making sure that the Poncle knew that this was important. Issun knew just how important it was. If anything happened to either Miyumi or Chibi, and he had something to do it with, Amaterasu would surely kill him.

He gulped at the thought of being crushed by her paw and swallowed again. He shook off the worry and looked at Sakuya, his determination quite clear.

"Don't worry! You can always count on me!" he exclaimed. Chibi yipped in agreement. Miyumi shuffled her paws uneasily as Sakuya disappeared. Would everything be alright? Were they both up for the challenge? She sure hoped they would be.

Ever since she learned how to fight, she wanted to take on a powerful demon lord, but Susano always told her she wasn't ready. That angered her. Now, she and Chibi had the chance to prove to their family that they were ready to join them on the battle field, leading the team to victory.

Issun's voice snapped her back to reality.

"You know, you two, Ammy had the power to make Konohana explode into full bloom! So I'm betting you two can learn that technique, too" he said, voicing his thoughts. Chibi piped up.

"Actually, Onee-sama already knows all the Brush Techniques!" he yipped. Issun bounced back in surprise.

"Wha? REALLY?" he asked in shock. Miyumi nodded and looked away. Issun was very confused.

"Ok, but if she already knows these techniques, then why did those two seahorses give her their technique?"

"Oh! They just wanted to make sure she still has her skills and to make sure she still remembers how to use them!" Chibi explained. Issun wasn't as confused as he was before, but shrugged.

"Well, that's nice. Anyways, what you two need to learn next is the Bloom technique. Then, once you get it, we'll come back here and heal Miss Sakuya right up. That's the plan. Got it?" he asked.

Miyumi nodded. "You bet!"

Chibi yipped. "OK!"

Issun just stood there, waiting for one of them to take of running. He stopped jumping when Chibi scratched his ear and Miyumi whipped her mouth with her paw.

"Well? What are you two waiting for? Time to find your new partner!" he shouted. Miyumi snapped back to attention. "Oh right! Well then, let's jet!" she said dashing away from the tree, stopping to see if her brother followed her. Sure enough, the little pup was following. Once together again, the two took off towards the village.

Miyumi ran ahead and Chibi struggled to keep up with his sister. Once down the slopes, the two headed through the village, only to find that all of the villagers were stone statues. Miyumi was in horror and in anger.

"What the-?" she asked, examining the stone bodies. She checked Mushi's mother as well as Mrs. Orange for any signs of life. No such luck.

"No one over here is moving or breathing. I can't find a pulse either!" she cried. Chibi was looking at Kushi, who seemed to have frozen up as well. He looked at his sister sadly.

"Mrs. Kushi is the same! Is everyone dead, Sissy?" he asked, fear creeping into his adorable voice. Miyumi went over to him and pulled him to her with her paw. "Chibi, listen to me. Everything's going to be okay, alright? We'll find out what's wrong, okay?" she asked, her voice soothing.

Chibi nodded into her fur, letting a few tears fall. The two continued onward, examining the stone people, until Issun suggested that they head into Shinshu Field to check the area. The two pups headed into the outskirts of the village.

Once they entered the area, the trees were dead, the animals were gone, and the Field was blanketed by a huge red and purple curtain-like form. A cursed zone. . .

Miyumi's eyes trailed the area with fear and concern. What had happened to this place? More importantly, who had done such a horrible thing? She did not know, but she knew one thing. . .Whoever did this. . . was going to be very, very sorry.

Issun looked around before speaking. "Look at that, you two! This area's become one big cursed zone!" he cried. Miyumi nodded. "_Oui_! I can see that. . ." she grumbled.

Chibi was a little scared, but Issun's voice kept him calm. "And by cursed, I mean it's been tainted by evil" he said carefully. Chibi was still on edge and moved closer to his only sibling.

Miyumi curled her tail around his tiny form, rested her chin on his head, and made soothing noises in the back of her throat. Issun went on explaining how he had seen one of these before and that they needed to get to the Sacred Deck back in Kamiki, quickly!

Keeping a steady pace so Chibi could stay with her, Miyumi walked fast. Her heart was pounding. Why was she so scared? Cause this was new to her, that's why! Oh, how did her mother handle such a situation? That she would have to find out when they went home.

She stopped dead right there, letting Chibi pass her. A sudden thought struck her.

How would they get home?

The thought of being trapped in the mortal realm without her parents knowing where she was frightened her. So much fear was in her heart, that she thought she might just burst into tears. Just when the water reached her eyes, a small warmth cuddled into her side.

She looked down to see Chibi's worried golden staring up at her. Quickly, she sucked up the tears and licked her brother's ears. "You okay, Sissy?" came her brother's voice. Miyumi nodded and two proceeded on back to the village.

The trio raced through the village and up the hill to the Sacred Deck where Issun was telling them to draw the sun in the sky. The two did as told and drew the brightest sun they ever drew.

The crimson red fireball reappeared and the sky changed back to the magenta color they had seen before. Now that that was done, they went back to looking for a partner for Chibi and Miyumi.

All was quiet when they entered and then. . .

"Gyaah!" a feminine voice screamed, getting Miyumi and Chibi's attention. Issun was startled too. The trio looked over at the rice field where Mushi's mother planted rice, to see her cowering before two green imps who, apparently, destroyed her scarecrow.

"Someone's messed with my scarecrow!" she cried. Miyumi sighed.

"Oh dear. . ." she said, as if it was a true problem. Issun bounced up and down like crazy.

"Oh, no! There might be some evil spirits here! We can't let them run amok! C'mon, Miyumi! You too, Chibi! Let's go get 'em!" he hissed. Miyumi growled low in her throat and Chibi braked in agreement. The two hurried to the rice field and the area erupted into a demonic battle zone.

Like they did before, Chibi took one and Miyumi took the other. Miyumi used her Solar Flare to burn and singe the imp, causing it to cry in pain. She smirked. "That, _mon ami_, that just a mere warm up! Here comes the real pain!" she growled, scratching the demon with her claws and sinking her fangs into its skin.

The demon screeched in pain before Miyumi slammed her reflector into its neck, killing it. The corpse disappeared into a burst of sakura petals and Miyumi collected her winnings. Chibi had demolished his imp by the time Miyumi collected everything. Once the monsters were gone, the demon area disappeared.

The two wolves found themselves right in front of Mushi's mother. She thanked them for tearing up the demons, but was still bummed about her scarecrow. With a little Restoration magic, the pups fixed the scarecrow right up, and received much praise from the woman.

Then, the trio headed towards the entrance of Kamiki, only to find it blocked by an enormous boulder and guarded by a breaded, strong, but idiotic-looking man. He looked completely neutral when he spoke.

"Well, if it isn't the little bug! It's been ages!" he grumbled. Miyumi giggled.

"You think he's tiny too? Well, I guess I'm not alone anymore, now am I?" she asked. The man jumped in surprise and Miyumi cocked her head. The man started sweating. "Y-y-y-you c-c-can t-t-t-TALK?" he shouted.

Miyumi nodded slowly and smirked. "News Flash! Duh!" she growled. The man straightened up, but didn't stop sweating.

Issun sighed and decided to keep the conversation rolling. "This is old guy is Susano, you two. A descendant of the great hero, Nagi, he helped defeat Orochi. And can you believe he got Kushi to marry him with that ugly mug?" he asked, hoping to spark something.

His comment caused Miyumi to snicker. "Aha ha ha! Ugly mug! Ha ha ha! Oh, you crack me up, Issun! You're almost as good as Uncle Susano! Love it!" she said, her voice high pitched. Chibi giggled at the comment too.

Issun smiled, then got back to talking. "Like I was saying, an ugly mug! Guess he must've stole her heart when he stole Orochi's life" he sneered. Miyumi shook her head.

"Yeah right! This guy couldn't steal a horse if he tried. It was Mama who took snake breath down, not this so-called 'hero'!" she hissed. She had heard from her mother that this guy was nothing but a coward who longed for and loved Kushi. How pathetic!

She was so busy talking that she barely noticed the man give her a surprise look.

"Hm? Uh huh. . .Hm. . .? Wait! Aren't you. . .those little pups?" he asked. He watched the two cock their heads. Miyumi narrowed her eyes. "Do we know you, you coward?" she asked, her voice cruel.

Issun looked down at her angrily. _'Geez! What's with this chick? Where'd that rude attitude come from? Not even Ammy was THIS rude!' _he thought bitterly. He sighed and turned back to the man in front of them.

"You know Chibi and Miyumi, pops?" he asked. Susano seemed annoyed.

"Of course I do! Where have you been all this time? I hadn't seen hide nor hair of you since that day. I was so worried!" he cried. Miyumi and Chibi gave each other a confused face, then looked at the man before them.

"Uh. . ." Chibi's little voice was soft.

"Ummm. . .Uh. . . I uh. . .Never mind" Miyumi muttered. Issun sighed.

"Something tells me that Chibi and Miyumi here don't know you" he said. The two pups barked in agreement. Susano jumped in shock.

"What? Say it isn't so! You gotta still remember me!" he cried again. Issun shook his head.

"Are you sure you're not mistaking Miyumi or Chibi for a different dog? It's not like there's only one white puppy in the world" he stated. Susano looked disappointed.

"Hmm. . .I suppose not. . ." he sighed. The trio sweat dropped and moved on. They spoke with Susano and mentioned someone named Kuni, so they went to find him.

They headed back down into the village and found a crying young girl. She was crying her small eyes out.

Issun seemed concerned as the three approached her. "What's wrong, little girl? Why the water works?" he asked, his voice gentle. Miyumi sighed sadly. She couldn't stand seeing small children cry, especially Chibi.

Back home, whenever he cried, she would hold him and try to cheer him up. She was a good sister, she was someone who cared for her younger sibling. The fact was, Chibi wasn't her only brother. There was another, but from the way he came into the family, nobody but her saw him as a family member.

'_I wonder where he is right now?'_ she asked herself in thought. Chibi was curling into her fur. She looked down at him sadly. Then, a voice came out of nowhere.

"What's this?" it asked. The two snapped their heads up and looked around. Miyumi looked up and saw a small boy on a roof of a hut. "Chibi! Issun! Look!" she shouted. The Poncle and the pup looked and stared in shock.

The boy had slightly dark skin, black hair tied up in bunches, and dark brown eyes. He wore a purple jumpsuit, and held a small wooden sword in his fist. He pointed out in front of him.

"Whoever made this girl cry. . ." he pausing, moving his sword to the right, ". . .will feel my wrath!" he exclaimed. Miyumi gave a blank look and sweat dropped.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" she growled in annoyance. The boy never acknowledged the ones below.

"I, Kuni, declare it!" he shouted, pointing his sword out in front. His sword moved again. "He who troubles young maidens. . ." and again, ". . .will taste my blade!" he cried. Miyumi couldn't believe this kid.

"Ugh, he makes Uncle Tsukiyomi look grown up!" she hissed, distaste in her lovely voice. She was slightly unprepared for the boy's screech. "Hi-yaah!" he cried, jumping high into the air. Miyumi glanced up and took a step to the left. Kuni landed with a thud and slide on his face a few feet away.

Miyumi walked up to the boy hissed at him. "This is not a circus kid, and I am certainly NOT a landing cushion!" he growled deathly. Issun and Chibi backed up, but check the boy to make sure he was okay.

He seemed disappointed and embarrassed. But, they way he made up for it sounded like he meant to fall. "Ho-ho! You two don't look like anyone I've seen before!" he murmured. Miyumi made a growling sound in her throat. "Get up and look me in the eye! NOW! I haven't the time for games!" she ordered.

Issun was shocked by the way she spoke. He also noticed a strange accent in the she wolf's tone. _'It sounds just like. . .NO! What am I thinking? But still. . .it's strange'_ he thought. Kuni was all the way on his feet and jumped in surprise when he came face-to-face with Chibi. He didn't see Miyumi because, well, she was right behind him.

"Ah! What are you doin'?" he asked, very scared. He moved his wooden sword out in front of him, hoping that the dog would go away. He backed into someone and looked up. Another wolf was in his face. A real pretty one at that. "Ah! Another one!" he cried. He could tell this wolf was a girl and she seemed to be grinning at him.

She pawed at him and now he had to fend off two wolves. Both wolves got on their hind legs and jumped to him. Issun sweat dropped and sighed.

"You two just love making friends wherever you go, don'tcha?" he asked. Finally, Kuni got over his fear and noticed strange red markings on both the dogs. He backed off a bit. "Hey. . .How come you two got all those strange markings on you?" he asked, staring at each swirl, curl, and outline he could see.

The two pups stared him in the face. Issun seemed surprised. "Hey, kid, you can see 'em?" he asked. Kuni nodded.

"Yeah, of course. They're pretty hard to miss" he stated. Miyumi sighed in aggravation.

"Great. . .Just great! Like this'll help!" she sneered. Issun sighed again. "This kid is Kuni. His parents are Susano and Kushi" he piped up. The coughed and laughed, as if he had defeated a demon.

"I am the son of the great warrior Susano!" he said, twirling around, grinning and winking. Issun fell over. ". . .And just as cocky I see. Like father like son I suppose" he stated. Miyumi nodded, but was still feeling an 'oh brother!' kind of feeling. Some people were just so full of themselves! How idiotic!

Kuni caught on to the subject. "Of course! My dad is a great hero!" he declared and once again, Issun fell over. Miyumi sweat dropped and ducked her head. "The only thing you're old man is, is a coward!" she hissed. Kuni responded quickly.

"Oh yeah? I bet you're old man is an idiot!"

"Don't you dare say that about my Papa! He's brilliant!"

"Oh really. . .? Well, whoever your old man is, I bet he's not as good as my dad when it comes to a fight"

"You're right. He's not!"

"Ha! I was right!"

"He's way better! My Papa's a samurai!"

"Huh? How can your dad be a-Wait! Y-y-y-you can TALK?" he screamed, backing away. Miyumi nodded slowly. "Yeah. It took you five minutes just to figure out?" she snapped. Kuni jumped up, but managed to keep calm. He ducked his head and walked over to the crying girl.

"Are you okay? Are they bothering you?" he asked politely. The young child cried harder.

"I was playing in Shinshu Field when a monster scared me. He took the mirror that used to belong to my mom" she explained between sobs. Miyumi raised an eyebrow in suspicion. She didn't know what it was, but there seemed to be something strange going on with the little girl.

For some reason, her story didn't sound really true. She shrugged it off and watched as Kuni jumped back and start to sweat and shake madly. "What! A m-monster?" he asked. Miyumi snickered. This was so funny! Issun got in between the conversation.

"You three hear that? A true hero helps those in need. But you know that, right?" he asked, referring only to Kuni. The young boy straightened himself up. "Y-yeah. . .S-sure. . ." he replied, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Issun smiled and continued on. "So why don't you take Chibi and Miyumi here. . .and go get her mirror back from those "monsters." he suggested. Kuni started to freak out, shake, and sweat again.

"What! You mean. . .You want me to go fight those monsters?" he asked, his voice shaky and scared. Issun sighed.

"Well, they're demons, not monsters, and yes, I do. The son of Susano ain't afraid of a few demons, is he?" he asked. Kuni stopped sweating, but Miyumi could tell he was still shaking.

"H-h-h-heck no" he growled, fuming, "I am Susano's son" Issun stopped him there.

"Susano?"

Kuni had to correct himself. "Oh, yeah. The great warrior Susano!" he declared, scratching his head. He straightened up and tried to look tough. "And like my father, I too am a great warrior!" he said confidently. Miyumi rolled her eyes. This should be a blast.

Issun jumped in, noticing that Kuni was still trembling. "You ok, kid? You're shaking" he murmured. Kuni lowered himself down and put a hand on his sword.

"I'm. . .fine. I'm not shaking 'cause I'm not scared!" he lied, raising his sword up, but he shook. Miyumi and Chibi sighed and shook their heads. "He's vibrating faster than the Ark's engine, Chibi" Myumi pointed out. Chibi nodded.

"Yeah, he sure is. Do you think this is gonna work, Miyumi-chan?" he asked, looking his sister in the eye. Miyumi sighed. "I hope so, little brother. I hope so" she said truthfully. The two looked at Issun when they heard his voice.

"Ok, then you'll be Chibi and Miyumi's new partner! Make sure you take good care of them," he paused, turning to the pups, "This is the end of the road for me, you two. I have to get to work!" he told them before bouncing away. "Place nice, you three!" he called over his shoulder.

The two wolves found themselves alone with Kuni. His expression told them that he had questions. "Do I really have to go fight a bunch of demons? Me? How am I gonna do that?" he asked. He looked at Miyumi.

"Hey Miss, do you know?" he asked. Miyumi gave him a blank look.

"You just found out that this poor girl has had her mother's prized possession taken from her by a demon and that you need our help to go get it and _**YOU'RE**_ asking a wolf how you can do it? Please! Do you know how ridiculous you look talking to a wolf?" she asked. Kuni sighed and looked around, embarrassed. Miyumi continued.

"Besides, she can't get it back herself. If she even tries to, she'll be maimed! Is that what you want?" she asked. Kuni shook his head and gestured for Miyumi to continue.

"Then suck it up, gather up a brave attitude, and get your rear end movin'! Honestly, I can't stand cowards. Especially boys who act like their big shots!" she groaned. Chibi sighed. His sister had finally revealed her true attitude.

His sister was nice, caring, and strong when she had nothing to worry about. But when it came to cowards, demons, or anything of the sort, she wanted scream and shout and break someone down. That was just who she was. Not small, shy girl who wore lace and dresses and hid behind big strong men, but a tough girl with a good heart and soul.

Anyway, Kuni had thought about what Miyumi had said. He jumped and turned around. "She's right! I can't think like that! A hero must be brave! Don't worry, I'll get your mirror back!" he said confidently.

The young girl seemed happy. "Really? Thank you!" she cried. Miyumi still found the act she was putting on phony, but dismissed it and watched Kuni.

"As a hero it's my duty to retrieve it for you!" he paused, raising his sword, "I promise! I won't come back without it!" he shouted. The girl seemed to be calming down.

"Ok, I'll be waiting for you. Good luck!" she said, wishing him well. Kuni placed his sword on his back and walked away, feeling himself tear inside. He looked, form how the wolves saw it, like he was being rained on.

". . .Great. Because I showed off to her, I have to actually find it" he sighed and looked up to find the two wolves looking at him, one glaring, the other smirking. He got all riled up.

"H-hey! Don't look at me like that! This is your fault!" he fumed. He paused to wipe his nose. "I mean, do you two even have what it takes to my partners?" he asked. Miyumi cocked her head to the right.

"I'm pretty sure we do, small fry" she growled. Chibi nodded.

"You should see Sissy when she rips through demons, she gets all mad and aggressive. It's so amazing when she fights!" he shouted. Miyumi glanced at her brother. _'Maybe Uncle Susano was right. . .Maybe Chibi does idolize me too much!'_ she thought. She sighed and stared at Kuni.

He looked happy. "You both do, eh? Well let's see what you two can do! Follow me" he said, walking away. He was sweating bucks even before walking a few inches and fell over. Chibi exhaled deeply.

'_Sissy's gonna give him heck for this'_ he thought and sure enough, Miyumi was flaring up inside. She and Chibi walked over to Kuni, where Chibi grabbed him with his jaws and threw up in the air, and Kuni came down on Chibi's back. Then, all three struck a 'Team Up!' pose.

"Oh, you're gonna give me a ride? Fine then. Thatta way!" Kuni cried, pointing the direction with his sword. The three set out to the highest point in the village, the Sacred Deck.

Miyumi kept a slow pace so Chibi wouldn't have to strain himself to keep up with her. While Chibi ran, Kuni was clinging on for dear life. He feared he would be bucked right off. Kuni stopped them for a moment. He told them that he got a déjà vu from just being with them. He dismissed it quickly and they continued on ahead.

When they reached the deck, there was a circular ring of light out in front. Miyumi was fascinated by it, so was Chibi. Kuni told them that they were allowed in and all three jumped on through.

They were consumed by a bright light, and when it faded, they found themselves standing on solid ground. The area had a starry night sky, small islands, and down below were gentle waters. Torches were lit set up nice and neatly. The islands were strung together and at the end other end, was a shrine gate with a glowing immensely.

"Oh wow!" Miyumi cried happily. Her tail swished from side to side, showing her happiness. Chibi was wagging his tail too. "Kuni, where are we?" he asked, looking up at his partner. Kuni smiled as if he understood the little puppy. For some odd reason, he could only hear Miyumi's voice.

"This is my secret hideout. This is where we can put your skills to the test! Come on, you two!" he said encouragingly. The wolves went on ahead, only to find a broken bridge. Kuni was bummed out immediately. In order to cheer him up, Miyumi used her Brush and fixed the bridge, much to Kuni's surprise and happiness.

They kept going, fighting off boulders which apparently had minds of their own, pressing buttons, activating all sorts of crazy stuff and dealing with Chibi's complaining.

"Sissy, my paws hurt!" he whined. Miyumi winced. "Already? Well, we have been running around a lot lately, just keep hanging in there, little bro!" she said encouraging him. Chibi nodded and followed her around.

The trio continued on through several rooms, opening doors, solving puzzles and dealing with more of what Miyumi was starting to call "Demon Boulders". Just when they thought things couldn't pick up any excitement, they came across a statue that resembled a penguin.

Miyumi and Chibi looked at each other in confusion. A penguin? Did they have a relative that had a penguin animal form? If they did, their mother never mentioned it. They shrugged and looked at it. Then, a constellation appeared in the sky.

Wanting to meet their unknown relative, the two pups drew away on the arrangement of stars and watched as they were pulled into the golden realm of the gods.

A fully grown male penguin, accompanied by three smaller ones, flew down to them, or at least, struggled to do so. The adult penguin made himself present before the pups.

"Hello, my niece and nephew! What a wonderful surprise to see you here of all times!" he chirped. The two pups cocked their heads in confusion. "Uh. . .Do we know you?" Chibi asked. The penguin looked hurt, then he looked angry.

"Confound you, Amaterasu! How dare you not tell your children about their Uncle Michigami!" he cried. The pups stared in shock.

"UNCLE?" they screeched together. The penguin nodded and dusted himself off. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Michigami, Master of Guidance! I believe you two refer to me as Uncle Michigami. Well, I'll let my sons give you the technique, then I'll give you some words of advice, okay?" he asked.

The two nodded and watched him waddle away. The three smaller penguins took up position in front of the pups. "Hello Mimi! Chibi! Nice to finally meet you! Our names are Michio, Minoru, and Mitsuo. We know what you're here for! Let's begin" they said together.

Miyumi rolled her blue eyes. "And here we go. . ." she complained as the penguins began.

"_O Children of the Great Sun! We are the young Michigami, born to the Spirit of the Brush. Sixteen moons, or shall we say sixteen years, ago your mother, the great goddess Amaterasu. . .fought and bested the evil darkness that was Yami. This upset the balance of light and darkness, and the elders were lost. But a new guard was then born of which we are but a part. We see your hearts and recognize that it resonates with ours. You both now have the power to guide those who are pure of heart!"_ they explained.

They raised their flippers to the sky and the Guidance Technique appeared. It flew into the pups bodies and they glowed. Then, Michigami appeared.

Here are my words of wisdom to you. . .People turn to others for guidance. Followers rely on their leaders for support. You will lead many young lives upon your journeys. Lead them well. Goodbye for now, my niece and nephew" the penguin concluded.

Moments later, the pups found themselves back in front of their uncle's statue. The trio took of again, racing through more rooms, finally coming upon the statue of Nagi.

A mouse-like constellation appeared after the statue was repaired. Within moments, the two pups were greeted by their Uncle Tachigami. "Miyumi! Chibi! There you are! Okay, my sons! Do your stuff!" he squeaked, dropping a red case.

Three tiny white mice crawled out with a small sword and they jumped onto it. Chibi wagged his tail! "Tadashi! Takeo! Tadao!" he yipped. The mice smiled. "Mimi! Chibi! Good to see you again! Okay, let's get down to business! Ahem!" they said together.

"_O Children of the Great Sun, we are the Young Tachigami. We are the nephews of the great Sun Goddess from time immemorial. Although we cannot follow you two on your journey, we hope that our gift will be of service to you. May the Power Slash help you to tear the darkness asunder!"_ they cried.

Once blessed with the technique, Tachigami appeared. "Now, my words of advice. . .The power of a blade is strong. It allows one to cut through anything. Though this power will not guarantee victory against evil, it will help you along the way. Goodbye for now, my niece and nephew" he said and vanished.

The trio continued beating up demons until they reached the exit. Once back at the Sacred Deck, Kuni spoke.

"I think you're both gonna be good partners" he said approvingly. Miyumi smiled.

"_Merci_! I mean. . .Arigatou!" she corrected. Chibi said the same thing. Kuni smiled, but then frowned.

"But I think you two need names if we're gonna work together" he said. The two knew why he wanted to give them names. Because he didn't know their names at all! Miyumi groaned. "Alright kid, do your worst. . ." she growled. Kuni stared at her.

"What shall your name be, Blue Eyes? Hmmm. . .Well, I can't all you Blue Eyes, that's not very tough sounding. Let's see. . .you've got such a proud yet beautiful look. . .I know! I'll call you Kimiko! That means 'noble child'. Sound good?" he asked.

Miyumi grinned, showing an ivory fang. Kimiko. . .she liked it! Kuni nodded and turned to Chibi.

"Now for you, it's gotta be a strong name. . .and one that's easy to remember. . ." he pondered away before an idea popped into his head. "I got it! Your new name is. . .MUTT!" he declared. Chibi leapt up in horror and shock.

"W-w-w-w-w. . .WHHHHHAAAAAAAAATTTTTTT?" he asked, feeling ready to cry. Miyumi had to restrain herself from giggling. Chibi looked at his sister sadly. "Hey Sissy, can we switch names?" he begged. Miyumi shook her head. "I really don't think you want a girl's name, little bro. I really don't. . ." she admitted.

Kuni went on. "Because I don't know if you're both wolves or dogs or what. So, you're Kimiko and Mutt. What do you think?" he asked, but got no response.

He sighed. "Ok, we got the naming thing outta the way. . .Guess I should be getting back now" he replied, earning him angry growls from his new partners. He quickly changed the subject.

"Or should we go to Shinshu Field?" He got friendly barks this time.

"Really?" he asked.

More barks.

"We have to?"

Even more barks.

"Yeah, you're both right. I did promise to get that girl's mirror. . ."I'm not afraid. I can do this!" he cried. Miyumi gave him a grin. "Great! Let's jet!" she said, starting to head away from the deck. Kuni grabbed a hold of her tail. "Wait Kimiko! We've got a problem! And that's my Dad and the big rock blocking the road. I don't think he's gonna let us out. . ." he said, sounding upset.

Miyumi lowered her head. "Yeah, that is a problem, isn't it?" she asked. Chibi yipped up.

"So what're we gonna do? We can't get the mirror back if we can't leave!" he wailed. Miyumi licked his ears. "Don't worry, Chibi. We'll think of something. Right Kuni?" she asked, looking at the young boy. He nodded.

"You're right, Kimiko. But let's head down there. There's gotta be something we can do!" he stated. He climbed onto Chibi's back and the three headed on down to the village.

_That's my girl. . ._A familiar voice hit Miyumi's ears. She looked around for its owner before realizing that only she could hear it.

"Papa?" she asked but got no response. She sighed and followed the boys down into the village.

***Laying on a futon after becoming exhausted* Phew! This was so long! I'm tired! Did you figure out what Miyumi's catchphrase is? Submit your answer in your review. I'm gonna take a break for a bit to work on something else, but check in often okay? Right, time for Yuki's Guide to French! **

_**Mademoiselle-Miss**_

_**Qu'est-ce que-What**_

_**Comment allez vous?-How are you (Formal) **_

_**Garçon-Boy **_(I forgot to add this in the first chapter)

_**Ami-friend (Male) **_

**Okay you guys. *yawns* Good night! *falls asleep* **

**Miyumi: *whispers* Review and adieu!**


	4. The Quest For The Mirror! Enter Anura?

**Bonjour mon ami! Here is chapter 4! Sorry the update is very late! Please enjoy! But before that. . .I want you guys to know something. Remember in the first chapter how it said it had been sixteen years? Well, I sorta used a time difference thing. Lookie here! **

**The Time That Has Passed On The Celestial Plain-16 years **

**The Time That Has Passed In The Mortal World-16 months; 1 year and 4 months. **

**See what I did? Since Miyumi is a teenager, I thought it be best if I increased the amount of time between Yami's defeat to the beginning of the Okamiden timeline. This way, Chibi can have a teenage sister without a whole lot of years going by. That's it! **

**Yuki's Quick Trivia-In this chapter, Miyumi sings a French song called Alouette. What is an Alouette? **

**Lark **

**Or **

**Hummingbird **

**Answer will not be in chapter. To listen to the song, go on YouTube and type in Alouette. Adieu!**

The trio tromped back to the village at a very fast pace. Miyumi slowed her pace so Chibi could keep up with her and so Kuni would stop shouting, "Kimiko, slow down!". His complaining set her teeth on edge. When they made it into the village, they headed towards Kushi's house, Miyumi having to read the sign because Chibi couldn't understand it to save his life.

"Chibi, you can read French and Moon Tribe, but you can't read Japanese?" she scolded in disbelief. Chibi's ears drooped. "_Je suis d__é__sol__é__, ma soeur_" he apologized. Miyumi sighed and shrugged it off. What was the use, scolding him for not being able to read his first language? Without another word, Miyumi gracefully walkedinto Kushi's sake brewing house.

When they walked in, they saw a woman dress in a red and gold kimono dress. Kushi. Very intent on making friends, the two wolves went up to her. They got Kushi's attention in a split second.

"Kuni! I thought I told you to stay indoors! Where have you been? Really! Do you know how worried I was?" she shouted. Miyumi pinned her ears to her head. "OW! Miss Kushi, please! Lower your voice!" she snarled, but Kushi didn't hear her. Kuni stifled his next words.

"Gomenasai! I'm sorry. . .I was just hanging out in the village" he said, his voice low and steady. Miyumi and Chibi rolled their eyes.

"Geez! What's made her so angry?" Chibi heard his sister ask. He shrugged, before noticing the big, gaping hole in the side of Kushi's sake bucket. He nudged his sister, who was looking at a dragon wall hanging in Kushi's old sleeping area.

"Sissy, check this out!" he said, walking towards the broken bucket. Miyumi stared at it, eyes wide. What did this? Did it break on its own? Did a monster destroy it? Whatever did this, it didn't matter at the moment. But Miyumi, hearing Kuni's panic-filled voice, sighed and listened to him.

"Oh, no! Mom's not gonna be able to make more sake! Can't you two fix it or something?" he asked. Chibi sighed. Why was Kuni so demanding? He shook himself and stared up into his sister's burning blue gaze. She looked down at him, eyes turning gentle.

"_Oui_?" she asked, her accent kicking in.

"Sissy, can you do it? My body still aches from battling those monsters back in Kuni's hideout" he whined. Miyumi sighed in aggravation.

"If I must. . ." her voice vanished as she pulled out the pot filled with Holy Ink, dipped her tail in, and worked the Restoration magic on the bucket, tracing the outline of the massive hole. Once done, there was a flash of light and the bucket revealed to be whole again.

This got Kushi's attention. Her expression was absolute amazement. "The sake barrel is as good as new. Where did Susano find the time? I'm just glad it's fixed! Now I can make sake for everyone!" she cheered. Miyumi rolled her eyes. . .again.

"You're welcome!" she said in a sarcastic and irritated way. Kushi ignored her, not to Miyumi's surprise, of course. "I haven't seen Susano in a while. I wonder what he's doing. . ." she whispered. Kuni shrugged and then looked at Miyumi.

"Thanks for fixing that, Kimiko! You're awesome!" he praised. Miyumi looked away, a small blush upon her face. ". . ._Merci_" she said softly. After collecting some praise from the happy sake maker and speaking with her, the trio left the small hut. Miyumi was the first outside. She took a few steps out to observe the area. Her gaze trailed over everything.

"_D'accord_. . .where did that baka go? I am NOT wasting time looking for some 'not-hero'!" she growled. Chibi and Kuni shivered. "Um. . .What's the matter, Kimiko? Why are you suddenly irritated?" Kuni asked. Miyumi didn't answer, instead she dashed off towards the entrance to the village. Chibi realized his sister had run off, so he followed suit.

Kuni had to hang on for dear life, in fear of being thrown off the little pup. When they reached the now blocked entrance, Miyumi was inspecting the rock, searching every inch of the stone for some way out. After a few more moments of searching, she gave up and plopped down on the soft grass. She sighed and lowered her head in disappointment.

Her ears perked when she heard the pitter-patter of small paws behind her. She turned her head slightly to his her little brother and Kuni, both staring at her, like she was their beacon of hope.

"Find anything, Sissy?" Chibi asked, his voice squeaking. The she wolf sighed and shook her head.

"Gomenasai, boys. There's no way outta here. If there is, I can't find it" she said, anime falling onto the ground. Chibi and Kuni sweat dropped. Chibi gave her an uneasy smile. "Don't worry about it, Sissy. We'll think of something! Promise!" he said reassuringly. Miyumi replied with a groan and got up.

She noticed Susano out of the corner of her eye. _'Hmmm. . .I wonder. . .'_ she thought in her head. She stood up and went over to the supposed protector of the village. She gestured with her tail for the smaller pup and boy to follow. Susano acknowledged them quickly.

"There you three are. Remember to be home before it gets dark. I can't wait to get home myself. I'm beat from standing guard. I wish I had some of Kushi's sake. I'd drink that and go to bed" he confessed, his voice sounding sleepy. He yawned and Miyumi figured he might collapse right there and then.

She leaned over and whispered in Chibi's ear, "Check it. If he falls over into dreamland, I'm gonna laugh!" she snickered. Chibi mimicked her, both receiving a stern look form Kuni. He turned away from them. "I guess standing guard all day is tiring. Hmm. . .I think Mom has some sake at home. let's go find it" he said. The pups nodded and raced ahead towards Susano's house.

After entering and getting a warning from Kushi, the three explored the place. Miyumi searched behind various objects while Chibi and Kuni searched in corners. Just when Miyumi thought there was no sake, she smelled something. Something that made her nose wrinkle in disgust. The scent was sharp and stung her sensitive nose.

"Ew!" she cried, putting a paw over her snout to protect it. She had smelled the rancid odor before. Back on the Celestial Plain, whenever her Uncles were chatting, there would be strong smelling drinks.

Sake.

They served sake. Whenever she walked by the conferencing room, she smelled the disgusting odor. She had to run past it and travel many feet away from the room just to get the smell out of her nose.

But this was no time to be daydreaming about the drink. It was in the house, right below her paws. Being very careful with her sense of smell and knowing she'd hate herself later, she removed her paw form her snout and took in the choking, acid-smelling scent.

She pressed her nose to the floor and sniffed around, before coming to the opening to the lower level of the home. There was a small hole, just big enough for her. It was accessible by a ladder. The sake was down there. . .somewhere.

"Hey boys! I think I found it" she called over her shoulder. Kuni looked behind him. "That's awesome, Kimiko! Hey Mutt, the sake's down below us!" he said excitedly. Chibi whined at his nickname again, but listened and went over to the hole, where his sister had just jumped into. He flopped into the opening and landed firmly on his paws.

Surprisingly, the lower level was very clean. No cobwebs, no rats or bugs, not even piles of sake jugs. Very clean indeed.

Even Miyumi was surprised. "Well, Kushi does live here. She must clean pretty often if it's this nice" she stated. She went back to searching. The boys did too.

It wasn't long before Chibi spotted the bottle, tied up in a rope, suspended from the ceiling. Some droplets dripped from the jug and landed on Miyumi's muzzle, leaking into her mouth. The she-wolf licked her lips, and made a gagging face.

"Ugh. . .Oooohh. . ._Excusez-moi_, boys. . ._Oh ch__é__rie_!" she ran over to a corner and vomited. Chibi spun around. "Sissy! _Es tu__ d'accord_?" he asked, running over to her. Miyumi gasped for breath as she swiped a paw across her muzzle. "_Oui_! I'm alright! Now then, where's that sake?" she asked. Chibi pointed at the hanging jug with his tail. Miyumi looked behind her and stared at it. Kuni looked at them.

"Kimiko, Mutt, can you two get that thing down?" he asked. The two nodded. Chibi was allowed this turn and took his time using the Power Slash to cut the rope, releasing the jug. It fell fast, but did not shatter when it made contact with the floor. Miyumi grabbed the jug with her fangs and shoved it into their bag for safe keeping.

The trio exited the house and went back to the entrance to the village. Susano stood guard as always, the boulder still there as well. Miyumi rolled her eyes. A big, stupid rock wouldn't keep demons out!

The trio waltzed up to him and stood there. Kuni took the jug from the bag and held it out to his father. Susano seemed surprised, happy, and suspicious at the same time. "Hey. . .That's Kushi's sake! Why do you have it?" he asked, reaching for the jug in a 'Gimme! Gimme!" way. Kuni searched for a way to explain to his father, though it would have to be a lie.

"Um, Mom said to, um, give it to you. . ." he lied. It hurt him deeply to lie to his father. Behind them, Chibi poked his sister's rib cage with a paw. "Hey Sissy?" he asked.

"Hmm?" she muffled.

"Think we can get Papa to drink some sake?"

"Doubt it"

"Why?"

"For starters, Papa doesn't drink. Not since the last incident, which happened way before we were born. He had too much and started blabbing away about his secrets. Aunt Kaguya said that was the most embarrassing day of his life!" she snickered. Chibi mimicked her, though he didn't know why it was funny.

The two wolves turned their attention back to father and son. Susano had snatched the jug from his child's hands. Miyumi thought that was rather rude of him.

"One should never turn down a drink, at least not from his wife!" he cried, "I'll just have a taste for now." Without further delay, he chugged the whole bottle down and, as Miyumi predicted, passed out cold. His snoring was irritating to her ears. She mumbled a single word under her breath.

"Baka. . ." she whispered. The trio sweat dropped. Kuni pulled himself through. Now that his father was out like candle light. . . ". . .OK. Now we can do something about that boulder! Use your Power Slash on it!" he ordered. The two wolves cut and chopped away at the rock, but nothing happened.

With Kuni's help, the rock was soon destroyed. Miyumi nodded in approval. "Excellent! Now, let's jet before sleeping beauty here wakes up!" she growled. The boys nodded and hurried after the she-wolf.

No sooner did the trio find themselves in Shinshu Field. The air had a demonic stench, the sky was purple and pink, and the entire area was covered by a red-purple curtain of evil energy. Miyumi snarled in disgust. "Ick. . ." she said, her voice mild and to the point.

The three continued, passing by demons every now and then. Miraculously, they weren't attacked along the way. They came up upon the entrance to Hana Valley, which was locked up tight by a wooden door.

Miyumi, however, was not one to quit so easily on something like this. She looked around and spotted a broken wooden device that looked like what use to be a crank. But, it was smashed and torn up, almost to the point of non-repair. She grumbled under her breath and hissed like a snake.

Chibi and Kuni backed up. Why was she so mad? Chibi wanted to ask what had upset her, but before he could even take a step forward, Miyumi got out the pot of Holy Ink, removed the cap, dipped her tail in and, using lots of Restoration magic, fixed the crank.

Kuni was surprised and grateful at the same time. Why did she fix the crank? Maybe she thought she had to do it? Was she irritated? He hoped not! You could get to know Miyumi within 15 minutes if ya could keep her talking that long. Nonetheless, Kuni had gotten to know her really well after 5. New record!

He shook his head and got off Chibi. "Hey, great job, Kimiko! Now we can get that gate open!" he shouted happily. Miyumi smirked and sat down, scratching her ear. She said nothing, neither did Chibi. Anyway, Kuni went at the crank first pulling, then pushing, and finally, jumping, but no matter what he tried, it wouldn't budge.

After a few minutes, he gave up. "Forget it. I'm not strong enough. And I guess that's that. It's too bad, but a man's gotta pick his battles. Let's go ho-" he stopped when he received dirty looks from Kimiko and Mutt. He sweated uneasily.

"Wh-What are those dirty looks for?" he asked in shock. Kimiko growled dangerously. Kuni panicked, but it took him a split second to collect himself. He cleared his throat, choosing his next words carefully. Kimiko looked ready to shred him.

"Of course, I was only joking. You two knew that, right?" he asked. Neither dogs responded. Kuni sighed under his breath. He guessed they were a little cranky. Never mind that, back to business. "Now, let's go see if we can find ourselves another way through!" he exclaimed.

This time, he climbed onto Kimiko, who was a little unprepared for his weight on her back. She cursed under her breath before taking off. The trio tried getting the Nameless Man to open the gate, but no matter how many times they begged, he wouldn't do it. They gave up after that.

They went back to the gate and stared at it. Miyumi and Chibi looked up at Kuni, was in deep thought.

"So we gotta get this gate open. . .But how? With what?" he asked. He looked down at Kimiko, who looked tired. He changed his mind at asking her. She looked too exhausted to speak. Mutt looked the same way. Miyumi made small noises in the back of her throat. Just when she thought it be best if they turned around and headed back to the village, a sound that seemed like a running pack of wolves reached her ears.

The smell of sweat, sake, and the forest reached her nose. Only one person carried this scent.

Susano.

And he was running up to them, faster than four horses pulling a wagon. "I'm coming! Hoooold up!" he shouted. The trio nearly jumped. "D-Dad!" Kuni cried. He was shocked to see his father. Hadn't they left him passed out at the village entrance?

Susano breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath. "Oh, you're OK! Thank the immortals for that!" he stated, stilling panting. Miyumi shook her head in annoyance. Chibi pressed into her side. It was silent before Kuni spoke.

"Aren't you taking it a bit far? You didn't have to worry-" he started. Susano was shocked by this. Hi son was ten years old and far too young to be out by himself! He had every right to worry!

"Not have to worry!" he shouted in disbelief. Kuni was caught off guard completely. "What?" he asked. Susano stood up straight and crossed his arms, still fuming. "You're my son! Of course I'm gonna be worried about you!" he growled. Miyumi sighed. _'Talk about an over protective father!'_ she thought. Susano was just a little too worried about Kuni. Shouldn't parents encourage their kids to go out and explore their world?

It didn't seem like that to Miyumi. She looked up at the boy sitting on her back. He lowered his head, looking upset. "Dad. . ." he started, but Susano stopped him.

"C'mon, we're going home. Never know what you'll run into here" he said sternly, pointing in the direction of Kamiki. Chibi and Miyumi backed up a bit. Miyumi was about to walk towards the village, when a small fist came down on her right shoulder, nice and hard. It felt like a stone and it hurt, much to her surprise. She lovely eyes darted back up to Kuni, who was shaking slightly.

". . .Dad. . .I can't. . .I can't go back to the village yet. I have to go over there. . .To Hana Valley" he replied. He heard his two companions whimper in sadness. This wasn't fair at all. Susano looked down at his feet and thought for a moment. Maybe he should let Kuni go? Maybe he should-NO! He would NEVER! His head shot back up and he stomped like an elephant.

"Nonsense! The place is overrun with demons!" he shouted angrily. Chibi stepped between them.

"Now stop that! Can't you see that your son wants to be great like you?" he barked in frustration. Susano, however, could only hear barks. "You stay out of this, pup!" he hissed. Miyumi reacted and pulled Chibi to her with her tail. Kuni spoke up again.

"But that girl who was crying? They took her mirror! And-" he was stopped again by his father.

"And now you wanna go get it back for her" he finished. Kuni nodded. He held his head high and put a fist to his chest. "As the son of a great swordsman it's my duty to help her!" he shouted.

Susano felt like he needed to stop his son. "Kuni. . .Son. . ." he whispered. Kuni wouldn't hear it. He had to go. He just had to! He wouldn't stop fighting, even if it meant punishment. He'd gladly take a thousand groundings, but that would never stop him from exploring the world he was born into.

"Please, Dad! You gotta let me go!" he cried, close to tears. Miyumi sighed sadly. She remembered a situation similar to this. She was about six years old and wanted to explore the mortal world, but her mother told her no. She said it was because she didn't want to lose her and was worried about her. Miyumi had put up a fight, but lost in the end. She growled as she was taken back to reality.

Susano looked defeated. He sighed in aggravation and marched to the gate. With all his strength, he turned the crank. The trio watched in amazement as the gate lifted. The Nameless Man had told them that ten men were needed to open the gate!

Miyumi and Chibi walked towards the gate. Kuni looked seriously impressed. "Whoa. . ." he breathed. Susano was swearing and shaking, but managed to keep a firm grip on the crank. He turned his head.

"OK. . .I'll hold this open for you. . .Get going, Kuni!" he ordered. Kuni was lost for words.

"Uh. . .OK" he stifled. He nudged Miyumi with his feet and she strode forward. Chibi flanked her near her left hip. **(A/N: Uh. . .Do wolves have hips?)** Susano stared at his son hard.

"But promise me you'll come straight back if you're in danger! You're my son, but that doesn't mean you gotta save the world!" he murmured.

"Dad. . ." Kuni whispered.

"Yes, I'm your father and don't you forget it! Now go!" he demanded. The two wolves walked forward, starting into the valley. ". . .Thanks, Dad! I'll be back soon!" he called. He looked down at his partners.

"Kimiko. . .Mutt, let's go" he said softly. The wolves charged into the valley, leaving behind a worried and uncertain Susano.

The valley was very cute and quiet, a little too quiet for Miyumi's liking. Even Chibi was nervous. Nonetheless, they dashed ahead, collecting objects and destroying small frogs that constantly attacked them. They ventured underground, where there was very little sunlight and they area reeked of demon.

To Miyumi, it smelled like polluted pond water. Chibi agreed. Yuck! But not even the topic of the smell could remove the nervousness from the younger pup's mind. He needed something to calm himself down. Alas, he didn't have any of his toys with him, not even his mother or father was here. However, he had his sister. Maybe she could sing to him?

He had heard her say she learned a French song. Maybe she would sing it for him? He nudged her.

"Sissy?" he asked. Miyumi looked down, her blue eyes soft.

"Hmm?"

"Can you sing that song you learned to me?"

"What song?"

"You know, the one Papa taught you. Can you please sing that for me? Pretty please?" he begged. Miyumi smiled. "All you need to do is ask" she whispered. She cleared her throat before beginning:

_Alouette, gentile Alouette  
>Alouette, je te plumerai. <em>

_Je te plumerai la t__ê__te,  
>(Je te plumerai la tête)<br>Et la tête (Et la tête)  
>Alouette (Alouette). . .Aaaah. . . <em>

_Alouette, gentile Alouette  
>Alouette, je te plumerai <em>

_Je te plumerai le bec  
>(Je te plumerai le bec)<br>Et la tête (Et la tête)  
>Alouette (Alouette). . .Aaaah. . . <em>

_Alouette, gentile Alouette  
>Alouette, je te plumerai <em>

_Je te plumerai le cou  
>(Je te plumerai le cou)<br>Et le bec  
>(Et le bec)<br>Et la tête  
>(Et la tête)<br>Alouette (Alouette). . .Aaaah. . ._

_Alouette, gentile Alouette  
>Alouette, je te plumerai! <em>

Once Miyumi hit those last few notes, she was done. **(A/N: That wasn't the entire song! I didn't want to waste page space and your time! Sorry!)** Chibi smiled and wagged his tail.

"_Merci, ma soeur_!" he said giggling. His sister had a lovely voice when it came to singing. There was another French song he loved to hear, but he would ask her to sing it later. Anyway, the three hiked on, fighting demons, solving puzzles and collecting various objects as they traveled. The demon frogs were becoming a pain to Miyumi, see as she disliked their smell and slimy skin.

Every now and then, one would clamp down on her leg, causing it to bleed a little. Miyumi had to force herself to sink her fangs into the frog's back and rip it off. She chucked the lifeless corpse to the side and spat out the taste. She had to stop constantly to wash out her mouth. Disgusting!

After searching many rooms and being bitten by many annoying frogs, the group came upon a room that had a monkey statue in the back. Miyumi and Chibi looked at each other and grinned. They solved the puzzle and headed over to the stone statue. A constellation appeared when they neared it.

Miyumi traced one half while Chibi traced the other. Before either of them knew it, they were surrounded by the golden realm of the gods. Raining down on them, were blue, green and pink sparkles of light. A few landed on Miyumi's nose and she sneezed. Chibi did too.

As air out of nowhere, a white monkey with red markings and a pink hat came spinning down from the dark gold sky, graceful and fast. The pups barked wildly.

"Uncle Sakigami!" they cheered. He was the one who taught them that life wasn't all about training and learning. They had had some great times with. Sakigami acknowledged his niece and nephew as soon as he spotted them.

"Why, hello Miyumi, Chibi! I've been looking for you! I have some advice, but that can wait! Son, please give them the technique" he instructed. A little monkey popped out from behind him with a drum on a stick that had two strings with small wooden balls attached to the ends. Miyumi remembered having a toy like that a few years ago.

Anyway, the little monkey rode it like a horse, waddling forward while the drum made noise. The monkey kept walking, not noticing his cousins at all. This annoyed Miyumi. How would he ever hope to become a Brush God if he didn't pay attention? Deciding that she had had enough, she called out to him.

"Shin'ichi!" she hissed. The monkey's head snapped up and he sweated uneasily, holding his drum in a defensive position. When he realized it was his cousins, he settled down. "Mimi! And Chibi! There you are! I've missed you both sooo much! I guess you want the technique right?" he asked. He cleared his throat before beginning.

"_O Children of the Great Sun, I am the Young Sakigami. Your mother, the great goddess Amaterasu, had no idea you two would pass this way, but nonetheless I have been waiting here for your arrival. Now we shall bond, and you two shall have the power to bring flowers and trees to bloom. Behold, the power is yours!"_ he cried. With the banging on his drum, the technique transformed into a symbol and floated into the bodies of the pups.

Sakigami reappeared. "Miyumi. . .Chibi. . .This technique will help you show the darkness that life will still exist after destruction. Though it is an insult to them, it is a blessing to others. Use it well, my niece and nephew. Farewell, until we meet again!" he called and dashed away.

Shin'ichi looked at them sadly. "Sorry, but I have to go, Mimi, Chibi. Please come back to us as soon as you can! We miss you!" he sobbed and ran after his father. Chibi drooped his head. It was true.

Their cousins did miss them.

He was so deep in thought, that he didn't notice the realm vanishing. Miyumi nudged him back to reality. "Wake up, little brother. No time for spacing out. A demonic scent hit my nose and I wanna check t out!" she growled. Chibi nodded and followed her. They revived the trees that looked charred and dead.

They did this throughout each room they entered. The caverns became filled with the scent of sakura, much to Miyumi's pleasure. She admired the scent. It smelled like her mother. In fact, the scent made her homesick and created a longing in her heart. Oh, how she wished she hadn't left the island without permission. She had heard from her Uncle Sakigami that he had been looking for them. Was it possible that her parents noticed their absence right away and sent out a search party or two?

She shivered. She could almost imagine hearing her mother's sharp and angry tone, scolding her for giving her a heart attack. Chibi noticed his sister's terrified expression. He knew what she was thinking. Their mother was going to punish them when they returned. He stopped dead for a moment.

How would they get home? There was no way to return, right? He gulped.

They were dead meat if their parents found them.

He shuddered at the thought of countless punishments. He shivered so much that he sought his sister's fur for warmth. He leaned into her and moved with her. Miyumi took notice of her brothers actions and comforted him.

Well, if they were going to be dead meat, they might as well be dead meat together, right?

They proceeded deeper into the cavern, battling demons every chance they got. An hour had passed, and Miyumi's claws were coated with demon blood. She didn't stop to risen them off. The chance came when they entered a room that had been turned into a miniature lake.

Miyumi let out a sigh. "Oh boy. . ." she complained. She headed into the water and swam around while her brother used the Bloom Technique to create lily pads. It didn't take long for the three to figure out the puzzle and unlock a secret room. Inside, a green orb filled with leaves was trapped behind some rocks. Chibi had to fix some stone beams and then cut them down to use as bridges.

After making some flowers bloom, the green orb was released and made its way into the lake room. Chibi moved it up the platform while Kuni held down a button that drained the water. Chibi positioned the orb and went to inspect the green sprout centered in the room.

When nothing happened to it, a light went off in Miyumi's head and she pranced to the altar. Quickly, she drew the sun, the light hit the orb, which then transferred it to the sprout. The sapling grew until it was a tall, but bare, tree. Miyumi used Bloom and the petals returned. But vanished as quickly as they appeared.

Nearby, some logs caved in over a hole, getting the trio's attention. They went over to it, only to be attacked by demons. Miyumi slashed and cut through each one, leaving Chibi to do minimum damage. Once the corpses were gone, the three jumped inside, where smelled a strong, demonic scent.

Kuni was the first in. He landed on his stomach and received a mouthful of rocks. He spat them out and tried to stand up, only to be crushed by Chibi. Miyumi landed gracefully next to them. She assisted Kuni while Chibi looked around the small cave they had entered. There was a strong smell frog and dead fish, but everything seemed fine to him.

Miyumi, however, didn't see it that way. "Watch yourselves boys. We're not alone in here!" she growled. Then, the ground trembled and the surface of the water bubbled. Seemingly out of nowhere, a giant yellow and orange frog burst from the water. It wore a dark gold eye patch over its left eye. It spoke, its voice deep.

"And what brings you three little animals here? You're not here to make a joke about defeating me, are you?" it croaked the question. Miyumi was shocked, disappointed, and irritated at the same time. "You're kidding! That smell that I despised so much and had to track down. . .was the scent of an overweight frog?" she asked.

The frog proceeded to smack her with his webbed foot, which she dodged of course. She leapt back and crouched down, her eyes glowed red. Kuni and Chibi exchanged frightened glances before looking back at the frog.

"Wh-Who. . .What is this thing. . . ?" he asked, sweating buckets. He turned to Miyumi, who still had eerie red eyes. He was afraid to open his mouth and speak to her. Miyumi looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Kuni shuddered, being give the evil eye by an angry she-wolf was not a good sign.

"Um. . .Kimiko? Do you know who he is?" he asked, gesturing to the frog. He watched her nod. "Yeah, he goes by the name Master Anura. I learned that from one of the demons I was shredding" she explained. Master Anura croaked a laugh. Miyumi didn't understand what he found amusing.

"Only a blood heir of Nagi could even hope to challenge me!" he growled. Miyumi's temper was flaring up, her anger showing through her weapon. The flames of Solar Flare were dancing around her body. Chibi backed up. He didn't want to get burned. Kuni was too focused on the frog to notice the flames.

"I-I-I'm the son of S-S-Susano. . ." he stuttered, still sweating. Miyumi and Chibi stepped between them, shielding Kuni from the demon frog incase he lashed out. Master Anura made no attempt to move them, but was in shock. He tried to laugh it off, he didn't want his "guests" to know he was afraid.

"Susano's son! Gya-gyah-gyah! If you speak the truth, then I will play with you!" he croaked. Kuni started to sweat. His companions noticed his nervousness. "Um. . .Uh. . ." he stated, not sure where to go from there. Master Anura found this amusing. Maybe he could teach these little brats a thing or two. He couldn't believe he was afraid of mere children! How embarrassing!

He stared down at Kuni, a smirk playing his lips. "Are you scared, little one? Come on! Kill me! I'm here!" he challenged. Miyumi couldn't believe that the stupid frog was playing with them. She came to kick some demon butt, not be treated like a baby! She was a teenager, for goodness sake! She glanced over at Kuni. He had stopped sweating, but was still nervous.

"Um. . .Uh. . ." he started up again. Master Anura interrupted him. "I guess all of Nagi's descendants are just cowards!" he croaked a laugh. His face turned serious. "Either that or you're a liar! Be gone! I have not the time!" he hissed deathly. Kuni couldn't take it anymore. He turned tail and ran into a small opening and hide there for awhile. "I-I'm not Susano's real son. . .I'm not Nagi's descendant. . ." he cried.

Miyumi and Chibi were shocked to see him run away.

"Kuni! Where are you going?" Chibi asked in a whine.

"KUNI! Get your rear end back here!" Miyumi roared. Oh, how she hated cowards! At first, she wanted to hunt Kuni down and drag him back. But then decided to leave him to hide, maybe he'd come out later. Miyumi swore, not a surprise to Chibi. Master Anura smirked at the pups. "Well, it looked like it's just you two and me! Shall we?" he asked. The pups faced him and lowered their bodies to the ground, as if hunting.

Miyumi bared her fangs and howled. "We shall! Let's jet!" she snarled and leapt forward. Chibi started off by beating Anura in the face with his reflector, which only ticked him off. He used his head and tried to hit Chibi, but the pup avoided it. Miyumi moved in, boiling his right eye and slightly burning his eye patch with her fiery weapon.

"OW!" Anura cried. He inhaled, sucking Miyumi into his mouth. "WHOA!" she screamed. Before she knew it, she was trapped inside the frog's mouth. Chibi's eyes went wide. "SISSY!" he wailed. He felt like crying, his sister had been eaten. At least, that's what he thought, until he heard Miyumi's voice. "Don't worry, Chibi! I'm alright! _Ooooh la yuck_! It smells like dead fish in here!" she complained, her accent showing.

Chibi sweat dropped. "Hang in there, Onee-chan! I'll save you!" he cried. Anura laughed, his laughter coming out in a bunch of croaks. "Give it up! Your _precious _sister will soon be digested in my stomach! There's no way she can escape! There's no way she can-" he was cut off by Miyumi jumped and banging around inside his mouth. The frog had to put his webbed feet to his mouth to keep her from escaping.

Chibi took the opportunity to attack, hoping that Anura would spit out Miyumi. However, instead of regurgitating his sis, Anura spat out what appeared to be a large stone. Inside, Miyumi tried to climb out of his mouth, but Anura used his tongue to push her back in. He heard the she-wolf growl inside his cheek.

"Not bad. Not bad at all!" he said, turning to Chibi. "You made me throw up the fruit I ripped from the Guardian Sapling's roots!" he croaked in annoyance. Chibi could see Miyumi inside Anura's mouth. She was sitting on his tongue. Miyumi took the chance to think about an escape tactic. If she tried to crawl out of his mouth, he'd only use his tongue again. Then, she remembered something her father told her.

**Short Flashback **

"_Miyumi, I have some advice for you. There will be demons who will find any chance they get to try and eat you. If you in turn find yourself in the mouth of a demon, here is what you must do: There is a gland in the back of the throat called the Uvula. When touched, it triggers the vomit reflex. Touch it and you will be spat out. . ." _

**End Short Flashback **

Miyumi smirked wickedly. She slowly made her way across the frog's tongue and placed a paw on the punching bag-shaped gland. Meanwhile, Kuni rushed out to the scene, deciding that he wouldn't be afraid to fight the demon frog. His presence got Anura's attention. "What the-?" he asked. Kuni was panting and gasping for breath.

He looked up with regret painted on his face. "Mutt! Oh, man, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have left you like that. Please forgive-Wait. . .Where's Kimiko?" he asked, looking for his female partner. Miyumi heard him and replied.

"I'm in here, Kuni! Inside this stupid frog's mouth!" she shouted. Kuni was shocked and angry at the same time. "How dare you! How dare you eat Kimiko! That does it! For eating Kimiko and causing us trouble, I'll make you sorry!" he shouted, fuming. Anura laughed, but stopped when he felt his body start to jerk. Within moments, he coughed up Miyumi and she landed next to Kuni.

She shook herself and stood proud and tall. She stared Anura directly in the eye. "Anyone who does something like that. . .will pay the price!" she snarled. She looked at Kuni, her anger not diminishing.

"C'mon Kuni! I could really use the help of Susano's son!" she hissed. Kuni hung his head, he looked like he had a rain cloud hovering above him. He looked away, tears in his eyes. "Sorry Kimiko, but I'm not really Susano's son. I wanted everyone to think Susano was my dad. . .That's why I tried to imitate the way he talks and acts" he said, sadness in his voice.

Miyumi stuck her nose underneath his chin and lifted up his head. "And what have you realized?" she asked. Kuni held his head up high and put out a fist. "But I realized. . .I realized it doesn't matter who my father is! I'm gonna fight by your side, Mutt! Yours too, Kimiko! It's my actions that show I'm Susano's son!" he cried happily, holding his fist high in the air.

Miyumi smiled at him. Maybe now he would stop being afraid. From the other side of the small river, Chibi was doing back flips. "Yea! Go Kuni! Go!" he yipped happily. Anura was speechless by his sudden change in behavior. His disbelief increased when Kuni lifted up the heavy hardened fruit. Miyumi assisted him. She lent him some of her strength and a light purple aura appeared around Kuni. It cracked and sparked.

"That's it, Kuni! Keep it up!" Chibi encouraged. Anura croaked a laugh. "You? Yo can't even hope to hurt me!" he laughed some more. Kuni narrowed his eyes. Enough was enough! He was sick of this frog's insults. Miyumi was sick too. She lent Kuni some more strength before attacking Anura, ripping pieces of flesh from his back. He croaked in pain and made another comment about Kuni not being able to hurt him.

"Yes, I can! I'm Kuni, son of Susano, the greatest warrior ever!" he shouted. Miyumi lent him even more strength and the aura grew bigger. Kuni absorbed it and lifted up the fruit. Anura was in shock. How was this happening? Kuni peered over the fruit to Chibi. "Mutt! I don't know what to do with his ball! Guide me! Kimiko, cover me!" he ordered. His partners nodded. Chibi used Guidance and led Kuni around while Miyumi protected him.

The fight continued. Chibi and Miyumi beat the energy out of Anura, Kuni collect the regurgitated fruit, Chibi guided him, and Miyumi protected him. Anura decided to dispose of the female wolf. He coiled his tongue around her body, catching her off guard and spun her around the room.

"Whoa! Whoa! WHOA!" she screamed. Anura laughed and forced her underwater.

"KIMIKO!" Kuni screamed.

"SISSY!" Chibi wailed.

Anura laughed in victory. "Well, that takes care of that little pest! Now you two shall soon join her! Aha ha ha ha ha ha-Huh?" he asked. Miyumi wasn't flailing anymore. Instead, she was using the heat of her Solar Flare to boil the water. Steam rose from the surface and Anura felt his body start to burn. Finally, he couldn't take it any longer and pulled Miyumi back up and tossed her to the side.

He ran back and forth in the small river. "Hot water! Hot water! HOT WATER! HOOOOTTTTT WAAAATTTTEERR!" he screamed, his face and body bright red. Miyumi got and laughed a witch laugh. Kuni and Chibi giggled. The she-wolf smirked and sat down.

"Boiled Frog anyone?" she asked, snickering. Anura got mad and the battle continued. After he threw up the third fruit and it was put back in place, he felt his energy leave him. He started croaking again.

"I-Impossible. . . ! Nyargh! M-My power. . .! I can't. . ." he cried in pain. His body wracked again and a dark purple aura flew out of his mouth. Miyumi gathered Chibi and Kuni near her, sheltering them with her body. "What in the world-?" she asked. Anura's body collapsed to the floor. He was dead.

But the creature that flew out of him wasn't. It appeared to be a big purple blob with straight teeth and a red eye in its mouth. It had purple and dark pink flames trailing behind it. It turned to face them and roared in their faces.

"You meddlesome children! I shall get you for this!" it snarled and flew off, dropping a pink object. It was a mirror! Possibly the crying girl's mirror? Kuni jumped to catch it and got nailed in the gut. He held their prize high in the air.

"Yesss! We did it! We got the mirror back!" he shouted. He and Chibi hugged and di a victory danced. Miyumi giggled, watching her brother and partner jump for joy. She tapped her paws a little to dance as well. Chibi sat before Kuni and received kisses. "Thanks, Mutt! I couldn't have done it without you! Or you Kimiko!" he added, going over to kiss the she-wolf. He pulled back and smiled at them.

"Well, you two know what this means? We won! We won! Yaaaaay!" he shouted. Miyumi and Chibi could hardly believe they won. Their parents, aunts and uncles told them they weren't ready, but apparently they were! They had defeated their first demon lord.

Miyumi grinned at Chibi. "Well, I say this calls for our famous double Victory Howl!" she shouted. Chibi bounced on his paws. The two stood facing each other, swiped their paws across their muzzles, raised their heads, and let a glorious howl come out.

Kuni thought it sounded like pretty music. The pups smiled at each other and said in unison for every ear:

"Let peace reign throughout land!"

* * *

><p>The trio raced back through Hana Valley. They had revived the Guard Sapling and replenished the sakura trees along the way. Finally, after three hours of being inside the valley. They came out into the bright sunshine.<p>

They were greeted by Susano. "Kuni! You're back!" he cried with relief. Once the three were beyond te gate, Susano released the crank and gasped for breath. Miyumi wondered if he had been holding the gate open this whole time. Kuni hopped off Chibi's back and stood in front of his father.

"Dad. . ." he started. Susano stopped him and crossed his arms, as he always did. He looked at the pups. "I see that the pups are OK, too" he said and received barks from them. Kuni was wondering something. "Dad. . .Were you holding te gate up the whole time for us?" he asked, hoping his father hadn't hurt himself.

Susano was taken by surprise. Of course! I wasn't going anywhere until you came back!" he confessed, posing and the laughing. He got himself together. "So, did you find the mirror?" he asked quickly.

Miyumi and Chibi nodded. Kuni pulled out the mirror to show him. "Yeah, it's right here" he said. It took Miyumi a millisecond to see the cracks all over the mirror. She wasn't surprised, the battle had been a reckless one. She pawed at Kuni.

"Kuni, I think you might want to check the mirror" she advised. Kuni was confused, until he saw the cracks of course. "Huh? Oh, no-no-no-no-no! Nooooo! It's broken!" he sobbed, collapsing to his knees. He felt his wolf companions gather around him. Chibi whimpered sadly. "We're sorry, Kuni" he whined.

Kuni lifted his head to meet their sky blue and sunlit amber gazes. He shook his head. "No. . .It's not your fault, Kimiko. It's not yours either, Mutt. It's mine. . ." his voice sounded heavy from crying. Susano was in disbelief. "H-How?" he asked. Kuni wasn't sure how the fragile object broke. He held it tightly in his small hands, his tears dripping onto his broken and cracked reflection.

"I guess when I was fighting that toad back there. . ." he stopped, looking up at his father. "How can I face that girl and tell her what happened?" he asked, looking for sympathy. Susano had no way to assure his son that it could be fixed, so he would have to tell him straight. ". . .There's nothing you can do, Kuni" he said as Kuni got to his feet, "You have to man up, tell her the truth, and then apologize" he explained.

Kuni wiped the tears from his eyes. He hated it when anyone, even his own father, saw him cry. Miyumi curled her tail around his small body, doing her best to comfort him. "Yeah. . ." Kuni whimpered. Susano continued on.

"Listen, son. You did your best. What you did was very brave. Hold your head high and be proud of that. You're a hero, just like your old man!" he said with pride. Kuni ducked his head and blushed.

"Dad. . ." he murmured. Miyumi sighed and saw Chibi yawn. She yawned too. Chibi crept to his sister's shoulder and pressed to her. "Sissy, I'm tired. Can we take a break for a bit?" he asked. Miyumi smiled.

"Of course, Chibi" she whispered. Susano stretched out his body. "C'mon, let's go home" h said, gesturing to the village. Kun hung his head as he walked. Miyumi limped behind him and Chibi padded next to her shoulder.

Together, they went back to Kamiki Village for some well deserved rest.

**Wow! That was pretty good! Anyway, the song Miyumi was singing has to do with a bird and plucking its feathers off parts of its body. In case you guys haven't figured it out already, I own the names of the Brush Gods children. I didn't think it was fair that they didn't have actual names. Anyway, it time for Yuki's Guide to French Terms **

_**Je suis désolé, ma soeur-I am sorry, my sister **_

_**Es tu d'accord?- Are you okay? **_

_**D'accord-Okay **_

_**Merci, ma soeur-Thank you, my sister **_

***sweat drops* Not much to teach you today. Sorry! But, I have included a Japanese guide too. You might already know this stuff. **

_**Onee-sama-Eldest Sister **_

_**Onee-chan-Big sister**_

**Well, I'm done for now. Tune in next chappie! Remember to input your answer to the trivia question in your review! Oh can you guys help me? I'm pretty sure Nanami's up next. I need your opinion. **

**Should her nickname for Miyumi be Seaflower or Shelly? **

**Review and Adieu! See ya!**


	5. Our Hard Work Leads Us To The Forest!

**Miyumi: *looks around before noticing you* Huh? Oh, bonjour everyone! I bet your wondering where Yuki is right? To be honest, I don't know. She stepped out for a bit, so I guess I'm in charge for the time being. Anyways, we've got a great chapter for you today and to top it off, I've got a surprise that Yuki thought of herself. You wanna hear it? Okay, the surprise is- **

**Chibi: *slaps hands over Miyumi's mouth* Sissy! You can't tell them what Yuki has planned! She told us not to say a thing until the Trilogy was over! **

**Miyumi: *pulls Chibi's hands away* Well she isn't here right now, is she? That means I CAN tell them! **

**Chibi: Alright, do what ya want! But don't come crying to me when Yuki comes after you with The Eraser! **

**Miyumi: *shivers* Okay! Okay! I'll keep my mouth shut. Let's just get this thing started, alright? **

**Chibi: Sure thing, Sissy! Enjoy everyone! Adieu! Wait! Let's do a Trivia question! **

**Chibi's Quick Trivia: In **_**Okami**_**, my Papa says a lot of quotes. Which quote does Sissy use? Answer in chapter! **

When the trio returned to Kamiki, they were exhausted. Not from walking, but from fighting. Kuni and Chibi returned the broken mirror to the girl while Miyumi had her injuries treated by Kushi and Mrs. Orange. Kuni apologized for breaking the object, but when he slipped it into the girl's hands, it looked as if nothing had happened. The cracks had mysteriously disappeared. Chibi had, secretly, worked his Rejuvenation magic on the object, fixing it.

The girl later revealed herself to be none other than Sakuya, the guardian of Kamiki. Later, at the Konohana tree, she revealed that the mirror was a test of Miyumiterasu and Chibiterasu's powers. She said she needed to be sure they were strong before she lost all her strength. She also revealed that they had to protect Nippon from danger. With that, she vanished. Right away, the two boys noticed Konohana's horrible condition and little Chibi used the Bloom Technique to heal it. In a matter of moments, power exploded from the tree and gushed onto the darkened village.

Grass became green, water turned back a its beautiful blue color, animals came out of their hiding places, the trees stood proud and tall, and a gentle breeze blew through the area, carrying the scent of sakura petals to Miyumi's noise. The she-wolf was on her side, lying on a pink blanket, resting. Her injuries weren't critical, but she had some nasty bite and claw marks. Bandages had been wrapped around her legs, her right ear had ointment and a small bandage, and her left hind leg had been plastered with herbs to soothe the pain from the wound Anura gave her.

She managed to pull herself up a bit and her eyes trailed down her back. Her fur was no longer sparkly white and clean, but rather dirty and slightly scarred. All in all, she was battle marked. She was certain Chibi was too from al the beatings the toad had given him. She sighed, now was not the time to be dwelling on the pain. They had won a battle and they were proud.

Anyways, Miyumi struggled to stand, her legs were still in pain, but she pulled it off and started to walk. She wobbled from side to side, then decided to stand still. She saw her brother and Kuni hopping down the hill, dashing towards her.

Chibi stopped when he saw her covered in bandages. He never thought he'd see his sister like this. She had nearly been cut open, smashed, and drowned because of what happened. _'Most of her injuries. . .should be on me. I feel terrible! Sissy. . .please forgive me'_ he thought in his head. Miyumi greeted the two with a fanged grin.

"Hey boys! Sorry I couldn't go up to Konohana with you, Kushi saw me and wanted to fix me up. So, what did Miss Sakuya?" she asked. Kuni rubbed the back of his head and looked down. He was surer than sure that Kimiko would be growling soon. "Well, you see Kimiko. . .Truth be told, the mirror was just a test" he murmured. Miyumi heard him perfectly.

". . .WHAT? A TEST? WE WENT THROUGH ALL THAT TRASH, I RECEIVED MULTIPLE WOUNDS, AND WE COULD HAVE DIED AND YOU'RE TELLING ME IT WAS A TEST?" she roared. Chibi and Kuni flinched. The younger wolf pup pushed himself against her. "Sissy, relax. It's okay. Miss Sakuya wanted to see how powerful we are, that's all. She also wants us to protect Nippon, so please don't be angry and call it quits because of some stupid test! PLEASE!" he begged. Chibi felt his sibling relax and breathe deeply.

Miyumi sat down and sighed. Kuni was able to relax now that Kimiko was soothed. He went over to his female partner and scratched her behind her uninjured ear. She leaned into his hand and her tail was beating on the ground. He smiled and pulled away. Now that Kimiko was calm again, they could continue on their way.

"Kimiko, Miss Sakuya said that there was some kind of evil gathering at Ryoshima Coast out west. That's where we're heading next. Do we have a map with us? I wanna check to see how far away it is" he explained. Miyumi tilted her head in surprise. She hadn't expected to be sent there so quickly. Her mother had traveled through various places before reaching that point. She dumped their bag on the ground and rummaged through it, using her fangs to grab certain objects. She pulled out her flute, some medicine, and finally. . .the map!

Using her nose, she rolled it open, revealing the map of Nippon.

"Let's see. . .Ryoshima Coast you said? Well, we're right here," she used her nose and pressed it to the paper over a small spot, "and Ryoshima Coast is over. . .here!" she exclaimed, her nose landing on another spot, much farther from the previous one. Kuni heard the she-wolf grumble. "That's pretty far away, boys. We'll have to travel through some areas before we reach that point. First, we'll have to go through Shinshu Field then cross over into Agata Forest. We'll ask for directions from there, okay?" she asked, rolling the map up, shoving it back into the bag.

Kuni nodded. "Sounds good, Kimiko! Well, standing here isn't going to do a thing, so let's get going!" he shouted as Miyumi lifted the bag onto her back. The group soon left the village, buying some supplies before exiting. Just outside of Kamiki, Kuni stopped then to talk for a moment. Miyumi looked concerned. What was bothering her partner? "Kuni, is something wrong?" she asked, worried. Kun lifted his brown eyes to her sky blue gaze.

"Kimiko. . .Mutt. . .you two know, I'm not even a real descendant of Nagi. . ." he started. Chibi butted in. "Yeah, we knew. You shouted it out, remember?" he asked, tilting his head. Kuni sighed and rubbed. He did shout that out, didn't he? He murmured something under his breath before continuing. "Yeah, but if I'm not a descendant of his, then how come I could beat those demons in Hana Valley?" he asked, confused. Miyumi stepped in on his last word.

"The reason you beat them is because of the power I lent you. I made you stronger, Kuni. I don't normally lend my power to others, but you needed it more than I did. I'm not cold hearted, Kuni. My attitude sometimes gets the better of me, that's all" she explained. Kuni smiled and went on about how he wanted to know his real parents and how he wasn't worried about anything. He knew he'd remember something on their travels.

The trio was about to depart for their destination, when Issun came bouncing up to them. "Hey, you three! You getting along? Whoa!" he said, stopping short when he saw Miyumi covered in bandages. Miyumi looked away, she didn't want to explain her injuries to anyone. Wounds made her feel weak and she didn't like that feeling. She couldn't, however, prevent Issun from asking her about them.

"What happened to you, Miyumi? Get into a fight with some other wolves, did ya?" he asked. Miyumi shook her head. She explained their fight with the toad in Hana Valley. Issun was impressed and shocked at the same time. "Wow! That sounds like something your mother and I use to get into! Nevertheless, I'm glad you're alright" he said with a smiled. Miyumi sat back down and licked her paw, wiping it over her muzzle. Kuni started talking.

"Uh, I don't mean to interrupt, but. . .Issun! What are you doing?" he asked, sort of shocked to see the Poncle again. Issun answered quickly. He had very good reason for coming back to the village. "I was just kinda of worried about you. Thought I'd check in. You guys seem like three peas in a pod now!" he said happily. Kuni smiled and looked at his canine partners.

"Yeah, we make a pretty good team I think" he replied, holding up a fist.

"Yeah, we're an awesome team!" Chibi yipped. Miyumi giggled, showing her fangs. Issun sighed in relief. He was glad that the children were alright. He wondered what Ammy would have done to him if he didn't act like a guardian to her pups. "Good to hear! Now I don't mind goin' into the city" He had something that needed to be taken care of, but he didn't want to leave without checking up on the pups and the boy. Kuni looked at him oddly. The city? What could Issun possibly want there? Work maybe or something else? He had to ask.

"What for? Work?" his question quite clear. Issun struggled in deciding to tell them or not. He had something planned, but he wasn't going to tell them right away. It was really a surprise for Chibi and his sister. To prevent any hints, he jumped on Kuni's statement. "You could say that. A Celestial Envoy is always busy! There's some other stuff. . .Ah, I'll tell you later" he said, starting to bounce away.

Before leaving, he called over his shoulder, "See you guys around! Remember to play nice!" and then he was gone. The two boys turned to Miyumi. She smiled at them.

"Well, shall we get going?" she asked lightly. The pup and child nodded and followed her into Shinshu. They realized that there was stuff to be done before they could go to Ryoshima. First, they replenished the area by healing the Guardian Sapling. Once that was done, Miyumi decided that they should run around and help anyone who might need assistance before leaving the area.

They raced around, cleaning up cursed patches, defeating demons, and returning lost objects. They went to Tama, the firework maker's house, after seeing smoke coming up from his home. They walked in, finding him on the floor, coughing up a lung. He was sick. The children offered to get some medicine from Yakushi Village, but he denied having any. However, the trio went off to get some anyway.

The raced across the field and entered the cave that led to the village. Once inside the perimeter, they noticed the sky was purple and dark pink. No clouds floated by and no sunshine poured down. Miyumi hissed under her breath. "You two have a look around. I'm gonna ask if there's a shaman here" she said, walking away. Chibi and Kuni found themselves alone. They watched Miyumi jump from cliff to cliff. Obviously she liked challenges.

Kuni looked at Chibi. "I hope Kimiko's gonna be okay. Her wounds haven't fully healed yet. But, she's strong, she can handle herself. Now, why don't we talk to the villagers until she comes back?" he asked. Chibi yipped. "Sure!" The two walked ahead until they saw a younger girl face down on a bridge. They helped her up and she introduced herself as Ayame. She said she fell while trying to climbed up a bridge to see some fireworks. She also explained that she had a disease that couldn't be cured and that she'd live no longer than another year. After some more talking, she left to climb the bridge again.

The two boys went up a hilltop to find Miyumi relaxing next to an elderly gentleman with a red beard. Miyumi lifted her snowy head. "Oh, there you are boys!" she greeted them, getting up. She strode over to them, limping slightly. She grunted and hissed in pain. She had banged her leg against a rock climbing up the hills. "The man over there is Dr. Redbeard. He's the village's medicine man. I wanted to see if he had anything we could give to Tama, but his house is overrun with demons. He says he can't do a thing in this situation" she explained. Kuni thought for awhile then spoke to her.

"Okay, we'll get to work. Kimiko, why don't you stay out here? You've already hurt your leg again, I don't want your injuries getting you killed" he said nervously. Miyumi sighed. "You've gotta point, Kuni. I'll wait out here with the Doctor. You two do your thing, ok?" she asked, sitting back down. The two boys nodded and rushed past her, into the house. The demons put up a fight and some started loading bags full of medicine.

Luckily, their distraction by the herbs and berries gave Chibi and Kuni an advantage. The monsters soon dropped dead and their bodies turned into beautiful petals. Once the house was demon-free, Dr. Redbeard and Miyumi proceeded inside. He thanked them for all their hard work, but told them that there was no sunlight for his herbs. Chibi fixed that problem by drawing a circle in the sky.

Once the ball of fire was back up in the sky, the two boys went back inside. There, in the center of the room, a giant white herb was growing. Dr. Redbeard was dancing a happy dance. After thanking them once again, he started making the mixture. It took him awhile to do and in turn made the three sweat drop with all his silly moves.

When he finally finished, he dropped the container with the medicine inside down to Kuni, who fell over upon contact with the bottle. When he told the doctor it was for Tama, Redbeard snatched in away again. He complained that Tama tried to use some of his herbs to produce new colors for fireworks. That made him mad and he said fireworks weren't worth the time and effort and were of no help to anyone. The children had to prove he was wrong, so they took him up to the highest point in the village.

Miyumi had trouble climbing because of her leg. "Mutt, hold on! Your sister can't climb real well right now, remember?" Kuni shouted down from his place next to Miyumi. She held onto the she-wolf as she climbed each bridge escalating to the top of each hill. She got her paws caught several times and nearly twisted her left front paw. When the group reached the tip top of the village, Ayame was standing on a cliff, looking up into the sky.

Dr. Redbeard was shocked to see her standing there. Kuni explained that she was looking for fireworks in the sky. After some thought about Ayame, Dr. Redbeard handed over the medicine. "Tell Tama to get well and make some splendid fireworks" he stated before the children rushed off. Then, a thought occurred to the red-bearded man as he watched Miyumi move about. "Hold on, youngsters!" he shouted, chasing after them. The trio stopped and turned around.

"What is it, Dr. Redbeard?" Kuni asked, confused. Redbeard looked at Miyumi. "Why don't you and the smaller pup go on ahead to Tama's? This she-wolf here looks like she needs some medicine for those wounds. I'll take care of her while you make the delivery" he explained. Chibi looked at his sister. "Sissy, what do you wanna do?" he asked. Miyumi gave some thought as to what was told. It was true, she wanted to help Tama make fireworks, but her wounds needed more treatment. She looked at Chibi with a smiled.

"I'll stay here for the time being, boys. You two just make sure Ayame sees some fireworks" she said, growling playfully. Kuni nodded. "Okay! Take good care of Kimiko, please" he said. The boys ran off to Tama's, leaving Miyumi in the care of Dr. Redbeard. Chibi double-timed it to Tama's. Once at his place, they told him about how Ayame wanted to see his fireworks. That got his spirit back and he drank the medicine.

After retrieving his stuff, he set off the fireworks. Back in Yakushi, Ayame "ohhed" and "ahhed" at the sight. Miyumi smiled as each firework went up. _'Mama. . .Papa. . .Uncle Tsukiyomi. . .Uncle Susano. . .can you see this?'_ she asked her family in her mind. She saw Chibi and Kuni climb up the bridge.

"Look Sissy! Look at the fireworks" Chibi hopped to her side, dancing and wagging his tail. Miyumi giggled and licked his muzzle sweetly. While Kuni spoke with Dr. Redbeard, a firework in the shape of a boar went up, getting the pups' attention. A constellation of a boar appeared in the night sky. The two wolves smirked and traced the outline of the starry pattern.

A burst of light then. . .the realm of the gods.

A large white boar with red markings came rolling in on an inactive bomb. The pups spotted him.

"Uncle Bakugami!" Chibi cheered happily. The boar noticed them from the corner of his eye. "Oh, Miyumi! Chibi! I found you! Your mother is worried sick!" he scolded, trying to balance on his bomb. Miyumi tilted her head. "Everything okay there, Uncle?" she asked, worrying he might fall. Bakugami nodded. Then. . .BOOM!

The bomb beneath him exploded and four adorable little boars were seen stacked on top of one another.

"It's Mimi and Chibi!" they cried. Miyumi sweat dropped. She really didn't understand why, but her uncle had given his sons some crazy names. She spoke gently.

"Hi Boom, Explosion, Tremor, and Fuse. What's up?" she asked. The little boars made small noises. "We've got a technique for you! Here we go!" they said together.

'_O Children of the Great Sun, we are the Young Bakugami. We have studied long at the feet of our father. The sun shines bright on this occasion, and we are at your service. We give you the treasure of dazzling fireworks. Now, let us color the sky on this joyous day!'_ they shouted. The four boars tossed their bomb into the air, it exploded, revealing the technique, which flew into the pups' bodies.

_**Sometime Later. . .**_

The group had left the village and were now making their way over to Agata Forest. But, Miyumi was not with them. She had gone back to Yakushi for something. As of that moment, boy and pup sat waiting for the she-wolf to return. Chibi had gone on to chasing butterflies. Kuni had sat himself down on a rock, pondering the day away. Finally, the sound of fast moving paws came to their ears. Miyumi was rocketing up to them. She skidded to a halt and gasped for breath.

"Here I am!" she shouted. Kuni slid off the rock. "Great! Let's get going!" he announced, going over to the tunnel where Chibi had used a Cherry Bomb to make the opening. Chibi stopped pawing at an orange butterfly and bounded over to his sister and Kuni. That's when he noticed his sister's reflector was different.

"Sissy! Y-your weapon!" he whined. Miyumi gave a sly smile. "You like it? I had it enhanced by Yakushi's blacksmith" she replied. Indeed, Solar Flare so no longer Solar Flare. It was now a crescent moon colored silvery-white with ocean wave designs. It was outlined with sky blue along the rim and it had pure white and super light blue flames swirling around it.

Kuni stared at it in awe. It was so beautiful to look at. He could have kept staring if Miyumi hadn't spoke.

"I call it Lunar Light. Well, let's get going, you two. Agata Forest is just ahead" she chimed. Kuni climbed on Chibi and the two followed the happy she-wolf into the tunnel.

* * *

><p>When the trio arrived, they found themselves in a cave. Miyumi smelled demon coming from somewhere outside. She led the boys down many passage ways until they reached an opening that was lit up nicely. Miyumi tossed her head in its direction and the three strolled outside.<p>

After leaving the cave, the small group noticed that the area was flooded, tree trunks were floating in the massive lake, and there was a curtain of demonic energy. It was dark and quiet, a little too quiet for anyone's liking. "Chibi. . .Kuni. . .stay close to me. . ."Miyumi's voice came in a low growl. Chibi pressed himself into his sister's fur while Kuni held onto Miyumi's back. Together as one, they walked along the floating tree trunks. Kuni almost fell into the cold water, but grabbed Miyumi's tail and pulled himself back up. Miyumi made an "ow!" noise when her tail was pulled, but ignored it.

They reached a cave where Miyumi smelled the faint scent of cherry blossoms. "In here. . ." she whispered. They ventured inside, being cautious in the small enclosure. You could never tell where a demon may be hiding. Chibi felt water splash onto his fur, making him snuggle even deeper into Miyumi's fur. Eventually, they came into an opening where a dead Guardian Sapling stood, bare of leaves or flowers.

"_Modeste ch__é__rie_. . ." Miyumi murmured, her accent showing. She left the boys behind her and went to the tree. She dipped her tail in the Holy Ink pot, drew a circle, and the tree came alive with sakura flowers. Magic from within the sapling built up and externalized out of the trunk. The magic moved outside the cave and coated the broken and evil-filled land with pure light and beauty. The scent of demon left Miyumi's nose and was replaced by the smell of grass and trees.

Kuni smiled. "You rock, Kimiko! That was awesome!" he praised his female partner. A light rose color tinted Miyumi's cheeks. She looked away out of embarrassment. "Well, now that that's done, let's go back outside and explore. C'mon!" she said giddily. She rushed outside of the cave, followed by her brother and Kuni. Once outside, the sky shone brightly and there was a light breeze. Chibi took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the sweet aroma. "Smells nice out here! Hey! Look at that, Sissy!" he yipped, nodding towards a giant building that was underwater. Miyumi saw it to and cocked her head.

"A Pagoda?" she asked, moving closer to it. After inspecting the small door, she confirmed it was inaccessible. "Sorry boys, it's locked up tight. No way we're getting in there" she growled. They continued on, moving to the next tree trunk, using the lily pads that blossomed at the touch of the Celestial Brush. Over on the other shore, Kuni spotted a small fire that was burned out and only smoke rose from the charred logs. "Kimiko! Smoke! Over there!" he cried. Miyumi moved her head in the direction of Kuni's finger.

"I see. . .let's jet!" she said, taking off again. The three arrived on the other side of the lake-like forest and saw the burned out fire along with the ones who started it. A young boy, about Kuni's age, and a red-pink dog with a red bandana tied around its neck. Kuni slid off Chibi's back and the trio walked to the twosome.

"Hey, someone's fishing" he mumbled. His voice got the boy's attention. He and his dog turned to see Kuni and two wolves. "Who are you? Haven't seen your face around these parts before" he remarked. Miyumi nodded, then noticed that the kid's dog was staring at her. She gave an odd look.

"What?" she asked casually. The dog winked at her. "Hi, my name's Ume. You're cute!" he barked. Miyumi's sky blue eyes widened and she growled lowly. Ume backed off and gave up on the idea of asking her out. Kuni patted Miyumi on the shoulder, turning back to the boy. "I'm Kuni, and these are my pals, Kimiko and Mutt" he greeted, introducing the group.

"Hi" Chibi yipped a greeting. Miyumi nodded and sat down, spacing out over the monstrous lake-like forest. The forest boy gave a friendly laugh. "Hah, well, I'm Kokari and this is Ume" he replied, his dog barking as well. Kuni smiled. He felt as if he had made a new friend. The only true friends felt he had were Kimiko and Mutt, however, he couldn't understand what the smaller pup was saying and having the older one actually speak Human to him was kind of freaky.

But, the two groups went on chatting, discussing fishing and hunting. Miyumi was spacing out most of the conversation. The thing she heard was something about a giant catfish. After the discussion, the trio departed from the scene, leaving Kokari and his dog to fish. The threesome jumped and ran around, much to Miyumi's displeasure, seeing as how her leg still hurt.

They were approaching the shoreline, when Kuni saw something jump up out of the water. He stopped and so did his canine companions. "What is it, Kuni?" Miyumi asked, stretching her tightened legs. Chibi looked out over the lake, trying to see what Kuni was looking at. Kuni pointed out to a spot near the flooded Pagoda. "I-It's a mermaid!" he exclaimed. Miyumi and Chibi finally noticed the little half human, half fish child jumping in and out of the clear blue water.

"Awww! She's so cute!" Miyumi yipped, smiling. Chibi nodded and watched the blue-haired mermaid swim. Kuni watched her as well. "Wow. . .I've never seen one before. . ." he confessed. The girl dove underwater, making the three look for her. Suddenly, without warning, she came up directly in front of them. Miyumi jumped back, the girl had given her a heart attack.

She pulled herself together and approached the girl. She seemed happy to see them.

". . .Oh? Two puppies. . .It's you two!" she cried. Miyumi tilted her head in a confused manner. Did they know this girl? Miyumi had never seen her before in her life! She was certain Chibi hadn't either. Kuni was confused too. "What? You know Mutt and Kimiko?" he asked. The girl replied back as if it were so obvious.

"Of course I do! We're friends!" she exclaimed. "Hey Seaflower! Hey Squiddy!" she said happily. Chibi gave a shocked look while Miyumi had to contain a giggle. "Oh! _Excusez-moi_. . ." she said, holding back her laugh. When far enough away, she let out a laugh. Chibi felt like he was being rained on. Kuni sweat dropped. "S-Seaflower? S-Squiddy?" he asked. Miyumi let another few notes of laughter fly before returning to the water.

She sighed happily and stared at the mermaid. "Have we met? My brother and I don't seem to remember you" she asked. The girl was shocked. Why didn't they remember her? She saw them a couple of days ago. So why didn't they remember? "What's wrong, Seaflower? It's me, Nanami" she received another confused look from the she-wolf. Chibi gave her that look as well. Nanami looked frustrated.

"You two don't remember me?"

More confused looks. Nanami started to sweat drop.

"Seaflower, Squiddy, I can't believe it. I just saw you two the other!" she wailed, her voice filled with hurt. She turned to look at Kuni, who was just staring at her. "Now you're both with another friend, I see. Whatever happened to your friend with the blonde hair?" she asked. Chibi gave her another confused look, as did Miyumi.

"_Nous avoir un ami avec blond cheveux? Qui est-ce?_" Miyumi asked, her French so perfect that even Chibi was surprised. He knew his sister was good, but he had no idea she was THAT good! Nanami gave a small smile. "That's so you, Seaflower! Speaking a foreign tongue which I cannot understand. I could recognize you in a heartbeat with that accent!" she commented.

Miyumi sighed. Okay, so the girl did know her. That was fine. She was also pretty happy to have a friend who was a mermaid. Now that was totally cool! She watched as Nanami sighed when she noticed Miyumi wasn't paying attention. "Anyway, whatever. I have my hands full myself today" she explained, groaning. Kuni, being curious as of that moment, looked at her.

"With what?" he asked. Nanami started to sweat uneasily.

"A very important treasure was stolen. . .And it's my job to get it back" she said hurriedly. Without another word, she turned and swam off, leaving behind her land-dwelling friends. Chibi watched as she swam away with frustration and worry. "I wonder what she's looking for" he said, turning to his sister. She shrugged. "_Je ne sais pas_" she replied. Chibi thought quietly to himself, wondering what Nanami might be up to. Kuni wanted to help her, but the group couldn't really help out much in the water.

Kuni shrugged and climbed onto Miyumi's back, being careful of her injuries. The trio took their business elsewhere. Miyumi wasn't sure what they should do next, until she read a sign that told about a fortuneteller called Madame Fawn, whose hut was up a nearby hill.

'_Fortunes. . .maybe she can tell us what to do next' _she thought. The she-wolf managed to get the boys to follow her up the ravine, where a tent stood. They proceeded into it.

It was small and there was barely any space for the three of them. Kuni remained on Miyumi's back. Chibi stayed at his sister's shoulder. There, at the back of the hut, was an elderly woman where a deer's skull for a hat. Miyumi sweat dropped. _'And Uncle Susano thinks Papa has weird fashion sense'_ she thought with a growl.

Never mind that, she approached the woman, who acknowledged her quickly.

"I am Madame Fawn. These bones know all, and the future I do see. Even the great Amaterasu relied on my prophecies. . .Hmm! Hm-hm-hm! I sense a bad aura coming from you. . .Pay me and I will tell you your fortune" she demanded. Chibi growled softly. "Quick and to the point, isn't she, Sissy?" he asked, his answer obvious to him. Miyumi nodded vaguely, but removed 500 yen from their bag and slid the money onto the table.

Madame Fawn seemed pleased with the wolf's cooperation. "Ha ha ha! Allow me to decipher your future with these bones" she mumbled. She picked up a few, placed them on the table, and came to one which she stared hard at, and held it with great care, as if it were a valuable treasure.

"Hmmmm! Hnnnnnn! I can see something! Yes, I see it!" she cried, making the three back up with fear and their eyes wide. They stared in silence as she foretold their future:

"_Five blue fairies stand out against the night sky. Use them to make a star, and with it you will find the sea treasure"_ the prophecy rolled over her tongue. The children looked at one another, confused. Fairies? A star? The sea treasure? What was that all about? Madame gave them a mild look of seriousness. "That is all I can tell you" she said softly.

Kuni thought over their fortune for a mere moment before speaking. "The sea? Could that mean Nanami is searching for treasure?" he asked. Chibi thought about what his partner had said.

"Yeah, it could be. What do you think, Onee-sama?" he asked, nudging his older sibling. Miyumi looked down at him, her blue eyes unreadable. She shrugged. "I guess so. . .but one can never be too sure! I say we leave and see what happens" she suggested. Madame Fawn placed her hand on the wolf and slipped something on her shoulder. "The rest is up to you. And since you are my first customers in a long time, please accept this parting gift. But remember, this is a one-time-only deal" she murmured.

Miyumi raised an eyebrow and looked at what was placed on her shoulder. It was a plain, white cloth.

Huh?

What would they need something like this for?

She picked it up with her teeth and showed it to Kuni. He was confused as well.

"It's just a white cloth?" he asked, scratching his head. Madame Fawn found amusement in his curiosity.

"Ha ha ha! The time will come when you need this. In the not-too-distant future. Stop talking and take it with you" she murmured, getting a little annoyed.

Kuni seemed unsure of what to say, until he felt Miyumi nudge him. He looked down and saw her giving him a "You-better-say-thank-you-if-you-don't-then-that's-very-rude" look. He gave a nervous laugh and looked back to Madame Fawn. "Th-Thank you" he mumbled. Miyumi did her best to turn around, being careful not to knock Chibi into the wall.

There wasn't much space in the tent. Before departing, the trio heard Madam Fawn tell them of an unavoidable and difficult farewell would happen soon. She told them to hold fast to their hearts and press on.

Then the group left.

Outside, dark had fallen. The forest was silent and eerie. Chibi and Kuni remained close to Miyumi as they had done when they first arrived. Miyumi sat down and looked over the area, watching for demons. She was afraid of being ambushed in the dark. Kuni kept one hand on her shoulder and looked around.

"It's already dark. . ."his voice trailed away. Beside hime, Chibi whined and pressed closer to Miyumi, who pulled him in with her tail. The she-wolf her Kuni shuddered. "Are you alright, Kuni?" she asked worriedly. Kuni patted her shoulder. "Yeah, I'm fine, Kimiko. But. . .the forest is really creepy at night" he whispered. Miyumi shifted her position and yawned. How long would it take for Madame Fawn's prediction to come true? She looked out over the lake and something caught her eye.

She moved forward, slightly pulling away from her brother and Kuni. On the lake, five bright blue lights danced upon the clear surface. Miyumi poked Kuni with her nose. "Kuni, look" she whispered, nodding towards the water. Kuni and Chibi followed her eyes and stared at the lights. The three moved closer to the edge of the cliff. "What's that?" Kuni asked. He felt his hand go up as Miyumi shrugged.

He felt her mouth next to his ear and her hot breath on his face. "Let's get closer. Follow me!" she hissed softly. The children moved closer to the dancing lights and stared. Kuni cocked his head.

"Five blue fairies? Madame Fawn said something about using fairies to make a star" he inquired. Miyumi sat down on her haunches and swung her head in Chibi's direction. She watched him look up at her. "Chibi, I used the Brush last time, so it's your turn" she mumbled. Chibi wagged his tail as Miyumi made their pot of Ink appear. He dipped his tail in and watched the fairies carefully. Immediately, he recognized a pattern and drew the star quickly, connecting the fairies to one another.

A flash of light came and star was formed. It faded into the water fast as light and a dark red and purple portal appeared, hovering above the water's surface. Kuni jumped in surprise.

"Kimiko, Mutt, look, there' an entrance!" he cried out, receiving a "hush" from Miyumi. Kuni nodded and lowered his voice to a whisper. "But where. . .Where does it lead?" he asked himself. Chibi grinned to himself.

All he saw was a portal. . .an adventure! His tail started to wag as he yipped, "Let's go in! Let's jump in!" Kuni stared at him in shock and surprise. "Huh? What? You say we should go in?" he asked, whimpering and sweating. Miyumi gave an aggravated sigh and got behind the two of them. Chibi nodded. "Of course! I want to! Are you scared or something?" he asked. Kuni looked shocked.

"What? Me? Scared? N-No way! I'm not scared at all!" he confronted his puppy partner. Miyumi growled low in her throat. "Then why are you asking like a wet dog?"s he asked suspiciously. Kuni glared at her. "It's just—I don't really believe in spells or prophecies" he murmured. He turned back to the lake. "Trusting in prophecies won't make you into a hero. . ." he mumbled.

Miyumi smirked and stared into the portal. "Well, they made are mother a hero. Papa gave her a lot of prophecies, Madame Fawn did too! So, let's trust what that woman said and, well. . .Just go for it!" she howled.

Kuni wouldn't budge, and Chibi seemed too distracted by Kuni's fear to move either. Miyumi groaned and shook her head.

"Forgive me for this, boys" she whispered. Chibi looked over his shoulder.

"Forgive you for wha-WHOA!" he cried. Miyumi slammed him into Kuni, who fell into the portal. Miyumi hopped inside as well, flanked by Chibi.

The children fell, and fell, and fell, down into the mysterious portal for yet another adventure, the portal closing behind them.

**Miyumi: *licking a candy cane* Okay, that probably didn't go as well as I would have thought. Now I know why Yuki doesn't let us type!**

**Chibi: I thought it was awesome! **

**Miyumi: *sweat drops* Of course YOU would think that! **

**Yuki: *walks in* Alright, I'm back! Let's start the chapter! **

**Chibi: Uh, Yuki? The chapter's over. **

**Yuki: WHAT? **

**Miyumi: Chibi and I typed it up while you were out. **

**Yuki: I hope you two did a good job. Anyways, while I'm here, I'm gonna do my thing. **

**Yuki's Guide To French Terms: **

_**Modeste ch**__**é**__**rie-Poor dear **_

_**Nous avoir un ami avec blond cheveux?-We have a friend with blonde hair? **_

_**Qui est-ce-Who's that? **_

**_Je ne sais pas-I don't know. . ._**

**Next Chapter Preview-Miyumi Narrating: It is cold, but noisy as Chibi, Kuni, and I find ourselves in the Demon Market. In order to keep hidden, we disguise ourselves with masks and begin a search for the sea treasure. Things start to heat up when we enter a battle tournament where Nanami is goes to the victor. What happens when we lose our disguises? Will we be butchered by the Witch Queen? **

**Next time on Okamiden: Rising Heroes : Shop Til We Drop. . .Dead! **

**Review and Adieu. See ya soon!**


	6. Shop Til We Drop Dead!

**Yuki: Hey everyone! I'm back! Which means **_**I'm**_** *snatches laptop from Miyumi* gonna write this chapter! **

**Miyumi: Now don't pretend the last one came out awful! You saw the reviews. They loved it! **

**Chibi: Yeah! *decorates white sparkly Christmas tree* **

**Yuki: Chibi where did you get that tree? **

**Chibi: Uh. . .I found it. **

**Yuki: That better not be someone else's tree! Anyway, let's get this chapter started! Sorry, folks, no Trivia question. I can't think of anything. Adieu! **

"Kimiko, how long have we been falling?" Kuni screamed the question. He and his canine companions had leapt into the darkened portal, sucking them into a black area, where they couldn't see a thing. Miyumi thought for a moment. She had been counting the seconds to keep track of the time. She calculated the number of seconds in her head and added it together.

"Five minutes" she replied coolly. Her stomach had dropped when the fell in. She wondered if they would fall forever or they would crash onto a hard surface, shattering their bones, destroying them. She was without her vision. The hole had no light, so she couldn't see two feet in front of her. Chibi started to whine. He didn't like the feeling of having nothing beneath his small feet.

It scared him. He wanted to cry out, but then he saw a small red light many feet below them. "Kuni! Sissy! Look down!" he barked. Miyumi's head snapped downward and stared at the light suspiciously. The light got bigger and bigger until Miyumi saw black and purple bricks. The walls were purplish rock and the red light came over from a space in front of the small area.

When Miyumi realized they were gonna crash, she pulled her head back up. "Brace for impact boys!" she cried. They were within a feet few of the floor, Kuni and Chibi flailed like water-deprived fish.

Kuni landed on his stomach with a thud, and as he started to get up, Chibi landed on him bottom first. Miyumi landed behind a rock and poked her head out. "Are you boys okay?" she asked, mumbling. Kuni stayed on the ground, groaning in pain. "No. . ." he moaned. Chibi shook himself and stared ahead at the cave before him. His expression turned terrified and he backed up.

Kuni was just standing, the room spun around like a toy top. He rubbed his head and looked forwards, seeing a bunch of stands with their vendors. There was an orange sign with a fire symbol overhead. The sign read:

**Demon Market:  
>Where Satisfaction Is A Dead Guarantee! <strong>

Kuni leapt in shock and Chibi shivered. "GYYAAAHH!" Kuni screamed. The demonic merchants started to turn their heads towards the entrance. Miyumi grabbed Kuni with her teeth and Chibi with her paw.

"Come here!" she hissed a whisper through clenched fangs. She yanked them behind the rock with her and sat them on their bottoms. Miyumi peered around the corner to see two shoppers chatting.

"What was that noise?" one asked.

"I'm not sure. Maybe someone took a liver from "you-know-who's" dish and got caught?" the other whispered. Her friend gulped.

"Maybe, let's get outta here before anything else happens!" she whispered and the two hurried away. Miyumi looked down at the trembling boys. She looked at them gently, indicating they could look now too. Kuni sweated uneasily and peered around the rock with Chibi and Miyumi. "Aargh! Th-This is the monsters' marketplace! L-Let's get out of here!" he wailed in a whisper. Chibi looked at him angrily and protested. "No way! We just got here!" he whined.

Miyumi looked down and growled. "Will you two shut up?" she snarled. She turned her head back to the market. She flicked her tail towards the area. "Besides, we need to search for the sea treasure! And," she inquired, looking up, "it seems that there is no way out of here! So sit down, be quiet, and let _moi_ think!" she snapped. Kuni turned away from the angry she-wolf.

"Psst! Mutt, I can't do this! You and Kimiko would be okay, 'cause you're both dogs. But I'm human! They'll notice me right away!" he whispered. Chibi eyes drifted from his face to behind him and he froze up. Kuni froze as well and looked over his shoulder. Miyumi's eyes had turned red and they were glaring down at the two of them. "What did I just tell you two?" she asked, her voice deep.

The two shrunk back, but did not speak. Miyumi nodded and was about to go back to watching the merchants, when their pure white cloth fell from above and landed gently onto the floor. She nudged the boys and nodded towards it. Kuni was confused at first.

"The cloth? That's right! If we draw the face of a monster on the cloth. . ." the idea hit him harder than being slammed to the ground. He looked at his canine friends. "Mutt! Kimiko! Quick, draw something!" he ordered. Chibi looked confused. "Draw what exactly?" he asked.

Miyumi jumped into the conversation. "Doesn't matter. . .just DRAW!" she ordered, shoving the pot of Ink towards Chibi. The small pup went to work and drew a swirly sun, putting little lines around, representing sunshine. He decided to keep it and slid it towards Kuni, who put it on. Kun smiled underneath it, beaming happily.

"How's this? Now I look like a monster, right?" he asked. Miyumi sweat dropped. "Eh. . .more or less" she guessed, shrugging. Kuni searched their bag, which he pulled off Miyumi's back. He pulled out two more sheets of cloth. "I have two more. You two should wear one two" he suggested.

Chibi grinned. "Okay!" he yipped. Miyumi sighed and nodded. "Alright! Gimme the Ink!" she growled. Her brother slid it between them and stared at their canvasses eagerly. Chibi painted the Japanese symbol "warrior" on his cloth. Miyumi painted the symbol "victory" on hers and added a sakura flower in the corner. The pups put their masks on and grinned. They looked at Kuni and nodded.

Kuni smiled. "OK, now we're ready. If the prophecy is right, we should be able to find the treasure of the sea here" he whispered. The trio walked out into the open, attracting no unnecessary or suspicious attention. Miyumi wrinkled her nose. _'Ugh. . .demon scents. My nose is burning!' _she complained in her head.

They checked out various stands, and Miyumi nearly puked at all the unattached body parts. Fingers, eyeballs, ears, and a bunch of other things. She nearly fainted at the stand selling human hearts.

"Ohhh. . .my stomach!" she whimpered, starting to gag. Kuni put a hand to her mouth. "Keep it down, Kimiko. Keep it down" he said soothingly. Miyumi breathed deeply and sighed. Her ears perked at the conversation being held by two shoppers at the liver stand.

"I wonder who will win this year's game?" a female crow tengu asked. Her companion, who was a Bud Ogre, replied back.

"I dunno! Hey, let's grab some of those sugar eyeballs and find us a great seat!" he suggested. The crow tengu nodded happily and the two rushed off. Miyumi looked down at her friends. "Did you two hear that? The Demon Market's holding its annual game! Maybe we'll find something interesting there!" she whispered excitedly.

Chibi bounced up and down. "Yeah! Let's go check it out!" he growled playfully. Kuni nodded, but relaxed his shoulders.

"Uh. . .that's all well and good, but. . .where is it in this place?" he asked, staring into the golden and blue eyes of his teammates. Miyumi and Chibi looked at each other confusedly.

That was a good question! Where was the game being held? Chibi looked around, his gaze searching for someone who could help them. His eyes flickered to a dark blue fairy that was standing on top of a dirty, dark brown crate next to a gate that was made out of bones. Chibi nodded towards him. "Maybe he can tell us?" he suggested. The children hurried over to the gate, only to be greeted by the demon, who seemed to be in a bad mood.

Chibi was afraid of asking, but opened his mouth anyway. "Um. . .excuse me?" he asked innocently. The demon turned to him, glaring with his blood red eyes. "What pipsqueak? You want in? I ain't seen you around these parts before" he hissed. Kuni, noticing how Chibi was looking up at the demon pitifully, jumped onto the next sentence.

"Yeah, you could say we're, um, first-time visitors. So, about letting us in. . ." he started. The demon shook his head, or at least what the three thought was his head. He was no bigger than a toy ball, but with a horn, a mouthful of sharp fangs, and two red-stained eyes. "I'd like to, but the rules say I can't. And I ain't one to break the rules, y'know. No siree, not me" he added quickly.

Miyumi found his last statement quite assuming. She smirked beneath her mask as an idea popped into her head.

"Oh, you don't break the rules, huh?" she asked. "I'm certain your boss would pardon it if you accidentally slipped up" she murmured. The demon stared at her in shock. What was she thinking? Did she not know what would happen if the rules were broken?

He trembled as he spoke. "Listen, little miss, our boss is the Witch Queen and, believe me when I say this, she will_ not _pardon a thing if something disrupted her marketplace"

"Why?"

"Do you know what she does if even a single rule is broken?"

"No. Why? What does she do? Fire you? That doesn't sound so bad"

"It's worse than getting fired. If a demon breaks a rule and our boss finds out, he or she is her next snack! She doesn't care if she loses employees, she can easily get more. Why, a lot of demons would kill to work here. It's a great place to socialize and the pay is amazing. By the time this century is over, I'll have enough yen to move to the outskirts of Sei-an. There are plenty of jobs over there that pay well too. But for now, I'm just a gate keeper" the demon explained.

The children were shocked. This Witch Queen sounded nasty and, from how the demon described her behavior, very frightening. Chibi looked up at him.

"I understand how you feel, sir. But, there isn't anything or anyway to get you to let us?" he asked, pleadingly. The demon was about to shout "No!", but then a thought occurred to him. There was something he wanted, but could never find. He made up his mind there and then.

'_Hmmm. . .I suppose it'd be okay to break the rules this once, so as long as my boss doesn't find out'_ he thought to himself. He stared down at them, they seemed to be waiting for him to speak. "I told you I can't let you in. Unless of course you gave me something under the table. And you know what I want? I want one of those Fire Eyes! I can never find 'em! Tell you three what. Get me a Fire Eye, and I'll let you in" he said coolly.

The children looked at one another. A Fire Eye? What the heck was that? Miyumi gagged as she thought about it. She prayed her wouldn't vomit in front of the demons here. Her Uncle Susano said demons didn't vomit when disgusted. It wasn't in their nature to do so.

Miyumi swallowed hard, opened one eye, and looked up at the demon, smiling slightly.

"Sure! We'll get you that. . ." she paused for a moment to swallow, again, ". . .Fire Eye" she breathed. The demon chuckled. "Really? Give your best shot, little miss! Not that you'll be able to find one! Ha, ha, ha!" he laughed. Miyumi narrowed her eyes, rolled them, and looked down at her boys.

She leaned down and mumbled into Kuni's ear. "You two go find that piece of junk. I'm gonna stay here, keeping my distance from those unappetizing treats!" he hissed through her clenched fangs. Kuni nodded, whispered what Miyumi had said to Chibi, and the two were off, looking for the Fire Eye.

Kuni and Chibi asked many vendors, but they all said the same thing:

"Sorry, don't have 'em"

Finally, the boys came to a demon who had his stuff laid out on a blanket. Chibi walked up to him.

"Excuse me sir, can you help me?" he asked in an adorable voice. The red demon grinned at him. He was pleased to have a customer after sitting there for half an hour. "Sure, whatcha need, little guy? Your Ma sent you out to do the shopping?" he asked.

Chibi picked up on the idea immediately. "Yup! I'm here with my sister and friend. We were told to get a Fire Eye. Do you have one?" he asked politely. The demon looked through his merchandise.

"You're looking for a Fire Eye, are you? Lucky for you, I just restocked!" he announced. Kuni was surprised, shocked, and happy all at the same time. "REALLY?" he asked, out of his mind. The demon nodded and held the Fire Eye basket next to him.

"You want one?" he asked, looking down at Chibi. He nodded quickly and the demon took one out of the basket, dropping it in front of the disguised pup. "There you go. Need a side helping of bones too?" he asked, pulling out a basket of arm and leg bones. Chibi shook his head, thanked him, and left. Kuni wasn't sure why the guard wanted it, but the two went back to the gate, where Miyumi was curled up into a ball, shivering.

The guard was looking at her uneasily.

"You Ok, little miss?" he asked. Miyumi was laughing like a deranged lunatic. "Get me outta here. . .get me outta here! Aha ha ha ha ha! Waaaahhhh! Hee heee heeee!" she laughed. Kuni and Chibi stared in horror and uneasiness. The small wolf pup nudged her and she looked up at him.

Chibi spoke in a whisper. "Easy Sissy. We got the Eye. You can relax now" he mumbled as he helped her to her paws. Kuni handed over the Fire Eye. The blue demon was shocked.

"Hey! You got one of them Fire Eyes! How'd you find it?" he asked, stupefied. Kuni sighed and placed it near the guard.

"You wouldn't believe what I had to do, but it's yours if you want it" he murmured. The demon overcame his shock and stared happily at his treat. Now that he was satisfied, he would allow the children to pass. "Can't believe you're just giving it to me. . .Well, go on, then" he growled gently.

Kuni was surprised. He didn't expect the guard to let them by so easily.

"You mean it? Thanks!" he replied happily.

The demon stared at him with a grin. "I may be a demon, but a promise is a promise! Inside with all of ya!" he ordered, dropping the bone gate. The demon let the boys walk past him, but he stopped Miyumi.

"Little miss, you won't tell anyone what I did, will ya?" he asked, hoping the she would give him the answer he expected. Miyumi smirked smugly. "Sure! It's our little secret!" she promised. The demon was relieved. Now he could eat his Fire Eye without any worries.

Miyumi strode past him and caught up with her brother and Kuni. The two got distracted by some messages on the stick up boards. Miyumi groaned and dragged them away. She pulled them down a hall and into another part of the market. Kuni guided Miyumi through the area, telling her that everything was okay and reminding her not to puke.

They reached a staircase and proceeded upward, to find a small blue demon who seemed to be the guard for whatever was behind him. He noticed the three who he assumed were demon children. His teeth clenched in disgust, he was looking at their masks.

"I don't like your faces. Your masks aren't any better! You three aren't getting in" he sneered. From beneath her mask, Miyumi was snarling. "You're not so attractive yourself! And just for the record, you better be careful of who's face you dislike or you're gonna find yourself in a place you thought you'd never be in!" she snapped. Chibi added onto that with a huff. "Yeah! Now let us in, Mr. Big Talk!" he growled.

The short stack of a demon looked at them innocently. "What's that? Oh, you want to go in? Well, why didn't you say so?" he asked, sarcastically. That remark received a growl from Miyumi. The demon pipsqueak shrunk back a little, but then stood proud and tall. He wasn't going to be bullied by three mere children!

Kuni tried to cool the heated trash talk battle. "Yeah, we've got some, um, business to take care of" he stuttered. The demon considered letting the three in, just to get rid of them. He was developing a headache, but then he thought that the brats had to be taught a lesson. So, he decided to give them a challenge.

"OK brats, I'll let you pass. All I need from you three is the password and you can trot right in" he remarked softly. Kuni was confused. What kind of password would they need? It couldn't be something as simple as a riddle or something like "I require entrance". He felt like asking was his best guess.

"A password? Like what?" he replied. The demon started to sound annoyed. "Well, I can't just tell you. Tell you brats what, I'm kinda bored from standing here, so I'll give you a clue. Most demons ain't too bright, so we hide hints around for them. If you find those hints, you'll get the password" he growled.

Kuni smiled. That was certainly helpful! "OK, Kimiko, Mutt, let's go find this password!" he shouted happily. The small demon smirked. "Oh, before I forget. There are 3 passwords! Good luck! Ha, ha, ha!" he chuckled evilly.

Miyumi sighed. _'I'm gonna kill this pathetic excuse for a demon when this is over!'_ she hissed in her head. Kuni was shocked that they had to find three passwords, but knew they couldn't give up. Miyumi led them back down the steps.

"Boys, let's split up. I'll take this area, you two go back to the other area and ask around. This is critical to our mission!" she hissed. Chibi tilted his head in confusion. "Really?" he asked, squeaking. Miyumi sweat dropped. "Uh, at least I think it is. Never mind! Now go!" she ordered. She watched the two boys dash off to the area where the entrance was.

'_Okay, now that they're out of my fur, I should probably ask around'_ she thought. The she-wolf ran around, asking merchants and customers for the passwords, but no one knew a thing. She plopped down in front of a tree that looked like it had a mouthful of teeth.

"What am I gonna do? We can't get into that area without those passwords. I hope the boys are having better luck than I am" she said to herself. She sighed and looked around. Her gaze drifted over the market, the sight of the merchandise made her sick. "Oooo. . .room spinning!" she moaned. She fell back against the creepy-looking tree and slid down its side.

No one bothered to help her, that and no one noticed the sick she-wolf. Miyumi tried her best to stand up. Her face brushed against something hard on the tree. She glanced over at it and her sky blue eyes widened. _'Wait. . .is that. . .!'_ she thought to herself.

Suddenly, she had the strength to stand. She stared at what was engraved it the tree's bark. It read:

"Password 1—Demon Market"

The hybrid wolf shuffled her paws happily. She found one! Awesome! Now, she would wait for the boys to return.

She waited for about five minutes before Chibi and Kuni trotted up to her, smiling. The she-wolf got of her rear and looked at them.

"You two found the other passwords, I hope?" she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. Chibi nodded and pressed into her fur happily. "We sure did, Sissy! Did you find any?" he replied back. Miyumi nodded and told them she found one. The children went back up the small flight of stairs to the small demon standing guard.

He looked at them with disgust, as he had done before. Kuni was quick with the passwords and the three soon gained access to whatever the tiny demon was guarding.

The children walked into a room that, instead of walls, red misting for encircling the small room. The water, which Miyumi assumed was blood, floated around a circular, brick walking area. In the far back, there was a pedestal made of wood and human body parts. Miyumi nearly gagged and felt like her paws might give out underneath her.

Kuni and Chibi kept a hold on her so she wouldn't floor vault on them. The chair wasn't the only thing that made the she-wolf cringe, it was the hideous creature that sat atop it.

The monster had the appearance of a female, they could tell by her clothes. She seemed to be an ogre of some sorts that was a dark purple mixed with a light shade of red. Two large, sharp horns sprouted from her forehead and her hair was blackish-grayish tied in a bun held up with a giant bone in the back and two yellow, red, and light pink hair ties in the front.

She wore a Kimiko dress sporting the same colors, her eyes were a sour, golden yellow, her teeth were gray and rotten, and her entire face looked like it had been smashed with a mallet several times. Her nails were the only thing clean about her and in her hands was a hand-carven smoke pip, she was exhaling the smelly fumes every minute at the least.

Chibi shuddered just by looking at her. He leaned over to his onee-chan.

"Sissy? How do you say "She is disgusting!" in French?" he asked. Miyumi leaned back over to him, trying to hold down her lunch.

"_Elle est r__é__pugnant!" _she whispered. Chibi nodded and stared at her. "Well, she certainly is!" he growled. Miyumi nodded in reply, nor daring to open her mouth again. She desperately wanted to lie down, but had to know why there were some groups of demons gathered here.

Kuni was thinking the same thing? Why were there so many demons gathered here? He wasn't hesitant to open his mouth, but went for the question anyway.

"What the heck is going on?" he asked, not absolutely sure where to go on from there. He was answered by a green imp, who seemed excited for the event. He grinned under his mask as his happiness rose. "It's an arm wrestling tournament, where the winner gets a mermaid!" he cried, cheerfully.

Miyumi looked disturbed. The only she hated more than demons, is what they did with their captives. She wondered just how terrifying being held by demons was. She saw a glass blow behind the imp they were talking to, but she couldn't see the prize inside.

Kuni looked a Miyumi for a moment before turning back to the friendly imp.

"A mermaid?" he asked, a little surprised. The imp nodded, but found his new friends a little dumbstruck. "What? You don't know? Master Bullhead caught her, he did" he paused, moving his clawed hand in the direction of the uglier female demon in the back. "He sold her to the Witch Queen who runs this Demon Market" he explained as the said witch exhaled a mouthful of smoke.

Miyumi looked away to breath in fresher air. _'Ugh. . .gonna be sick. . .!'_ she thought painfully. Chibi brushed himself against her furry belly to soothe her stomach. He smiled when he heard his onee-sama exhale in relief. She smiled and whispered a thank you into his ear.

The two looked back at the scene, which was quiet. The red imp standing next to three children's new friend got an idea and opened his mouth. "I hear mermaid meat is delicious! Maybe we should join in, too" he suggested. The green imp looked frightened. He put his hands up in defense to stop his friend. He didn't want to get injured at all.

"You? Forget about it. You'll just get crushed" he reminded his pal. The red imp thought about it for a moment, then he became terrified and started to sweat. "Yeeeah, you're probably right" he agreed. The two stood talking while our favorite trio was still shocked by the prize.

They looked over at the glass bowl, or they tried to, at least. Kuni leaned to the side to have a better look, but one of the imps moved and he couldn't see anymore.

He did, however, catch a glimpse of neon blue hair. That hair color could only mean. . . !

Kuni was horrified. "Mermaid. . .No way. . ." he breathed, too scared to say more.

Indeed, the helpless little mermaid inside the glass bowl was none other than Nanami. She was floating there, sweating buckets, and had a terrified look in her eye. She was lightly tapping the glass with her small fingers. The noise was familiar to Miyumi, as she had heard it before on the Ark's computer.

She moved her muzzle near Chibi's perked ears.

"Chibi, that sound! It's S.O.S! Or should I say, S.S.M? (Somebody Save Me!)" she whispered quickly. Kuni nudged her and said to be quiet. "You two know who they're talking? They're talking about. . .Nanami" he breathed. He saw his companions nod. The three looked from Nanami to the Witch Queen, who was once again exhaling the intoxicating fumes of smoke.

Chibi slapped a paw over his nose and made a tiny "yuck" sound. Miyumi shivered and coughed gently. Kuni tapped their shoulders and the three looked up as a small yellow demon in a green Kimiko with a flower mask appeared from behind the bowl. He seemed to be holding something that reminded Chibi of microphone.

He had seen one in the Ark and was always yipping into it. Anyway, the small demon made himself present and started shouting.

"Alright! The tournament is about to begin! All contestants, gather 'round! The prize is a mermaid!" he paused, showing off the creature behind him. "She's mouth-watering in more ways than one! A special treat for both the eyes and the palate" he announced.

Miyumi and Chibi looked at one another. "Ick!" they murmured in unison. Chibi stared at the little yellow demon. He had seen someone like him before, but he wasn't too sure of what his job was. He poked his onee-chan's side and she stared at him.

"Hai?" she asked.

"Sissy, why is that demon shouting?" Chibi asked cutely.

"Why? He's the MC"

"MC? Who's that?"

"MC stands for "Master of Ceremonies". He's the announcer for the event. Every tournament, contest or something else that's competitive has one"

"Oh, so he's like they guy at that Samurai Battle Tournament that Uncle Susano takes us to every year?" the small pup asked, yipping. Miyumi nodded and went back to watching poor Nanami. Chibi couldn't stand watching one of his friends became delicacy for some low creature like a demon.

He glared at Kuni through his mask. "Kuni, we gotta do something!" he barked. Kuni started to sweat. He knew what they had to do, and he knew he wasn't gonna like it.

"I-I got it already. I-I-I am the son of Susano I won't just abandon Nanami!" he declared, trembling like a wet dog. Miyumi smiled, her fangs glimmering. "_Magnifique_! Let's jet!" she howled. The two pups raced forward, not bothering to wait for Kuni. The boy was shocked and felt betrayed. Those two always ran off on him! "Wai-wai-wait a minute! Hold on just a sec!" he shouted, trying to catch up.

"I'm not m-mentally prepared for this yet! Waaaait!" he cried. The three soon found themselves before the MC. He was pleased to see more competitors. The three signed up quickly. Kuni and Chibi combined their names into Kunimutt while Miyumi called herself Kimiko: The Samurai Slayer. **(A/N: Give me credit for trying please!)** And the tournament proceeded.

The contestants gathered around, waiting to be called on. Miyumi realized there would be five matches in tow. She would have to be careful, her leg was still sore. The battle began as the children found themselves up against three green imps. Kuni and Chibi demolished two of them while Miyumi took the loner one out.

The battle didn't last long, seeing how weak their opponents were. The imps, after losing one of their teammates to the she-wolf, practically fled out of the ring, screaming like little girls. The audience laughed up a storm. Miyumi saw the Bud Ogre and Crow Tengu she had eavesdropped on in the front row, eating sugar eyeballs.

She made an "ick" noise before returning to her own partners. One match down, four to go. She was certain she would have stiff muscles the next morning.

Anyway, their opponents fell pretty quickly. They took on the Hot Riders, which were red imps on spinning toy tops. They went down after their toys were destroyed by Power Slash.

Their next victims were called the Macho Air Raid Brothers. **(A/N: I don't make this stuff up!)** Chibi knew they would be dealing with flying demons, his sister's least favorite. Kuni didn't like them either. But, it was bound to be fun. The three loved a good challenge.

However, Miyumi got pummeled by several skulls, which she took to the head, almost knocking her out. Chibi got one too and received a migraine. Kuni made a note to pick up some medicine once they left the market.

Next came The Green and Yellow Bombardiers. The demon field came out and the children got a look at their opponents. The Green Paddlers and the Macho Air Raid Brothers had teamed up in hopes of getting back in the fight! Miyumi got so frustrated that she decided to rip apart the team right away. The boys stood with their eyes wide.

The she-wolf marched back to them, her anger gone. She smiled down at them.

"That felt good!" she said in a low, mellow voice. Kuni and Chibi sweat dropped in relief and the tournament went on with the MC disturbed from Miyumi's actions.

Their last opponent was Boss Hot Rider. In reality, he was just a big top with an eyeball that shot flames. The pups had their fur singed multiple times before Kuni slashed at their opponent with his sword, only making him angrier. The three repeatedly attacked him, despite the fact of being burned constantly.

Miyumi had had enough and ripped him up until he was taken away by some other demons.

The children had won the tournament.

The MC was shocked out of his mind, but just as excited when he announced the winners.

"And the winners are Kunimutt, his beast, and their partner, Kimiko: The Samurai Slayer! The mermaid is yours to do whatever you want with!" he exclaimed. Nanami shook with fear in her glass bowl. The MC turned to look at the Witch Queen. "Right, boss?" he asked carefully.

The said demon said nothing, but nodded and went back to smoking her pipe. The MC turned and smiled at the three. "See, even the boss congratulates you" he said, praising them.

Kuni started to shiver, but Miyumi nudged him with her paw and mumbled some words in his ear. He gave her an easy look and turned back to the yellow demon.

"A-Anyway, we'll take the mermaid and be on our way" he stated, trying to remain calm. Chibi moved closer to his sister, staying in step with her. "Sissy, are we gonna pull this off?" he asked.

Miyumi looked down at him and nodded slowly. They had been pulling it off the minute they put on their masks and strode into the disgusting market.

"Of course! Enjoy yourself!" he replied happily. The trio approached the bowl, Nanami was trebling even more than she was before.

Kuni leaned in and lifted up his mask slightly, so she could see his lips moving.

"It's alright now" he murmured. Nanami looked confused, until. . .

"Y-You!" she cried.

"OK, come on! We don't have any time to lose"

"No! Don't come any closer! I said don't come any closer!" the mermaid child shouted, throwing a fit.

Miyumi looked ready to snap her head off like a snapping turtle. "For cryin' out loud!" she screamed, startling Chibi. The wolf pup backed away from his angered sister. Kuni was uneasy about the whole situation. They were trying to escape without being harmed by the demons, but Nanami was not cooperating.

Kuni tried his best to soothe her. "Hey, just calm down for a second" he murmured gently.

Nanami, however, wouldn't stop. She started fuming like crazy.

"You humans are the reason I was caught in the first place!" she growled.

Kuni looked confused. "Huh?" was all he managed to squeeze out. Nanami continued with her rage fest.

"A human caught me and offered me up to a giant catfish!" she boomed, her face an ugly mask of anger and hatred.

Kuni made a small noise. "You _were_ caught. . .Who was it that caught you?" he asked, trying to see if she would relax for a moment. Nanami was calm as she explained her capturer. She said that it was a kid that wore a hat resembling rabbit ears. Kuni assumed it was Kokari.

Nanami got all fired up again. She exploded and went on about how humans could only care about themselves and not give squat about a mermaid's life. In fact, she was so angry, she declared that she hated all humans.

Kuni told her that was fine, but they had to leave. Miyumi interrupted.

"This chit-chat of ours is nice, but I wanna get outta here! So start pushing!" she whispered the order fiercely. The three pushed the bowl hard, but Kuni slipped and fell to the floor.

When he got up. . .his mask had fallen off his face. Miyumi groaned and murmured under her breath:

"_Troi. . .Deux. . .Un. . ._" The Witch Queen's eyes glowed blood red, and then. . .

"Whaaaaaaat?" she roared. Chibi and Kuni exchanged frightened glances.

"Uh-oh!" they said in unison.

"Stop those three!" the Witch Queen boomed.

Miyumi glared at them, her fangs showing, her eyes glowing as red as the Witch's. "Get behind me! NOW!" she snarled. The two scurried behind the she-wolf as the Witch Queen leapt from her perch on her icky chair.

She held two butchering knives and an evil smirked appeared on her face.

"Well, well! If it isn't a human and two dogs! So you think you can just come waltzing into my market as you please, eh? Not on my watch! I'll rip you to shreds" she hissed as her eyes shined red once more. Miyumi growled deathly.

'_Great. We're gonna be sushi unless I do something!. . .I know!'_ she thought to herself. She took a step forward and did a back flip. She landed on the ground with easy and everyone stared in shock. There, instead of a wolf, stood a female human. Chibi stared in surprise.

His sister had taken her Lunar Form! **(A/N: OK, if you've read chapter 1, you'll know Miyumi looks exactly like her father Waka, hat included)**

Miyumi pulled out her flute and twirled it in her hands. "_Bonjour, mon opposant_!" she greeted cheerfully. Chibi noticed that his sister still had her sharp, dagger-like claws and ivory fangs. The Witch Queen flared and lashed out at the oddly dressed girl, her butchering knives swinging madly.

Miyumi swiftly dodged each one, her grace very intriguing. Kuni and Chibi joined in, stalling the female demon long each for Miyumi to unsheathe her beam sword.

"Now Sakura Strike. . .Unsheathe!" she commanded. Using two of her fingers, she made a straight line across the space above her head, a neon pink beam in tow. The blade made a buzzing noise. "_D'accord! Laisser nous danse_" she chimed.

Chibi and Kuni attacked from the front, occupying the evil queen so Miyumi could strike from the back. The lunar girl knocked her out cold, allowing Chibi to deal some damage to her spine. However, the witch recovered quickly and began to strike the small puppy with her knives. Miyumi swooped in and snatched Chibi away.

The Witch Queen, feeling weak, decided to call in some of her employees. She devoured them and her strength returned. The process of lashing at the children, them attacking her and her healing repeated itself over and over again.

Miyumi's hand reached her katana sword's handle. She ran at the ugly witch and lashed at her arms, cutting them. She witch howled in pain and stared at her blood now on Miyumi's silver blade. The lunar girl panted heavily and gasped for air.

She shoved her normal sword away and felt something snap inside her mind. Her eyes turned blood red, she bared her fangs, and ran at the demon, her claws stretched out before her.

The Witch Queen looked up as Miyumi leapt into the air and came down hard, her claws raking the witch's face, causing blood to spew onto her Kimiko shirt and stain her sharp nails. Miyumi withdrew as the queen grabbed her face and cried out in pain. Kuni shivered.

He saw bloodlust in Miyumi's eyes. _'I don't understand. . .Where's this aggression coming from? Is it animal instinct or something more?'_ he asked himself. The witch wiped the blood from her face and charged Miyumi.

The girl's eyes widened as she was tackled. She was slammed to the ground, a butchering knife sliced her arm. She shrieked and clutched her wounded limb.

"ONEE-SAMA!" Chibi cried.

"KIMIKO!" Kuni wailed.

Miyumi heaved. Sweat covered her forehead and the feather banners of her hat blocked the sight of the corner of her eye. She was unable to see the Witch Queen. She glared at the boys out of her right eye.

"Boys, finish her off! Now!" she ordered. Chibi nodded tackled the queen, knocking her over. He tore up her back and Kimiko pretty badly. He gave her a good whack on the head, knocking her out.

A fairy gasped in horror.

"Boss! After them! Hurry!" he shouted. Many fairies rushed into the room, straight at the children. The boys guarded Miyumi while killing as many fire fairies as possible. The girl got up, wiped away the sweat on her face, and sheathed Sakura Strike, slipping the flute into her sash.

The three found themselves surrounded by more and more demons. This wasn't looking good. They'd be oni chow before they knew it. Miyumi stood behind the boys, she knew they would protect her. They knew she was hurt.

Demons and fairies gathered into groups and gave evil smirks as they closed in on the trio. Kuni was so frustrated, yet he shook violently.

"Dang! No matter how many we take down, they just keep coming!" he shouted. The Witch Queen gained consciousness and boy was she mad! She swung her knife, knocking away the boys, and cutting at Miyumi's long legs. Chibi slammed into the bowl holding Nanami, causing it to fall over.

The young mermaid was released, but couldn't move an inch. Eventually, Chibi regained consciousness and got up.

"Kuni! C'mon!" he yipped.

Kuni didn't even looked behind him, he just held his sword tight in his fists and shook some more.

"Mutt, Kimiko! Take Nanami and go! You two don't need to worry about me!" he shouted, his heart beating like a base drum.

Chibi was uncertain, but went for it anyway. "Ok. . .but I won't like it" he murmured as he hung his head. Chibi hopped over to Nanami and scooped her up. What they didn't expect was Miyumi to scoop them up in her arms. The three looked back at Kuni, who hadn't shifted his position.

"Hurry! Get out of here!" he ordered. Miyumi looked frightened. "Ya don't have to tell _moi_ twice!" she yelled. She ran out of the room, not caring about anything but her brother, Nanami, and her life. Kuni would hold them off, that she knew.

She bolted down the steps, her pants being singed by the fire spat by the fairies that came forth. Nanami had to hold on with all her might as the lunar girl dashed through the market.

"Seaflower, slow down. I'm afraid I'll fall out of your arms before we reach the tunnel!" she wailed, thrashing like a piranha.

Miyumi glared at her. "I'm outta here! There's too much blood and gore and body parts that aren't attached! I'm sick of this place!" she whined. The trio found themselves at the entrance to the market, but there was no way out.

Miyumi's sensitive hearing picked up on Kuni's breathing and her wolf sense of smell grabbed his sweaty, mint-like scent. She knew he was right behind her. The young boy began jumping, trying to get out of the demon hole.

He gave up and sweated even more. "I can't. . .I can't jump high enough" he complained. Miyumi rolled her eyes.

"Well, given the situation, this could prove to be a problem!" she snapped.

Kuni nodded, but didn't speak.

A noise behind them. They froze and slowly turned to see. . .

The Witch Queen charging at them, screaming "COME BACK HERE SO I CAN KILL YOU!"!

The huddle up together and screamed. A fish hook dropped down to them. It got Kuni's attention. The group looked up at it. "A fish hook! If we. . . !" he stopped short. Miyumi wrapped her arms around him and, using her free hand, yanked the lie several times.

The witch was closing in on them. Miyumi gave one more yank before. . .

SWOOP!

The four were pulled up to safety, leaving behind a cursing and angered Witch Queen. From outside, Kokari was yanking them up. Once they resurfaced, a long chat was endured.

As for Miyumi, well, she crawled away into the bushes, to puke.

**Poor Miyumi! Sorry this was so long! Well, I guess lots of the chapters will be long. Oh well, no pressure. . .I guess. **

**Yuki's Guide To French Terms **

_**Elle est r**__**é**__**pugnant-She is disgusting! **_

_**Trois. . .Deux. . .Un-Three. . .Two. . .One **_

_**Bonjour, mon opposant-Hello, my enemy. (There are many ways to spell "enemy" in French) **_

_**D'accord! Laisser nous danse!-Okay! Let us dance! **_

**All done for now. Until next time, I'll be working on my Okami Christmas special. Happy Holidays from me and the Okami Family Have a Merry Christmas!**


	7. Battle At The Pagoda! A Stupid Catfish?

**Bonjour everyone! Long time no see! Did you have a good Christmas? I know I did. **

**Chibi: We have a great chapter for you today! **

**Miyumi: Yup! Let's hit it, shall we? **

**You bet! But first. . . **

_**A cherry blossom so pink,  
>A cherry blossom so bright,<br>That when darkness falls,  
>It shines through the night.<br>A sweet aroma drifts through  
>The air and down to my nose,<br>The sakura petals sweeter,  
>than any red rose. <strong>_

**Cherry Blossom by Author (Me) **

After escaping the Demon Market with moderate injuries, are favorite gang hung out near the flooded lake, speaking with their rescuer, Kokari, who told them that the adults pressured him into taking Nanami hostage, and then offering her to Bullhead as a sacrifice. The young mermaid was still fuming and refused to accept to accept Kokari's apology.

When Kuni mentioned how the boy had used a fishing pole that meant so much to him to pull them to safety, Nanami was shocked at what she heard. She forgave the forest boy and apologized for her rudeness. Over in the bushes, Miyumi was vomiting her guts up. The merchandise in the market had been too much for her stomach to bare.

Once her little puke fest was over, she crawled to the water, cupped some of the liquid in her hands, shoved it in her mouth and gargled to remove the taste. She spat out the water into a nearby to hole on the shore. Relieved that that was over, she took on her wolf form and joined her friends.

She was about to speak when a bubbling sound came from behind them. A strong scent of fish reached her nose and then. . .

BOOM!

A giant catfish emerged from the mirror still water and swallowed Kuni before retreating back into the lake. Miyumi swore when her injured leg was hit. It wasn't fully healed yet, which surprised her. Gods were supposed to heal at the speed of light. Why wasn't her leg healing properly? She wanted to check her leg, but Kuni's safety was her concern.

The boy had just been eaten by the catfish and she wanted him back! Nanami had fear and concern written all over her face.

"Seaflower, Squiddy, we have to go after him!" she cried. The two wolves and the mermaid watched in shock as the catfish swam away, circling around the Pagoda, the disappearing al together.

Chibi couldn't believe it. One of his friends had been eaten! He sure hoped Kuni was okay. "Kuni! Bring him back, you big stupid ugly fish!" he barked madly. Miyumi nudged him gently.

"Easy now, Chibi. We'll get Kuni back. Don't worry" she whispered. Chibi allowed his shoulders to relax. His sister was right. They'd find Kuni and everything would be alright. Nanami had thought over the situation. She had claimed that all humans only cared for themselves, but what Kokari did for her was a selfless act, proving that humans did care about others.

With these thoughts, she smiled. "Not all humans are selfish I guess. That little boy just taught me that. Come on, let's go! This time it's my turn to help him!" she confirmed. Chibi looked at her. He was glad she had realized that. Now they could go get their friend. Miyumi's eyes scanned the water. The catfish was gone, but she got a good wiff of his scent. She turned back to her comrades.

"Alright! Let's jet!" chimed. Chibi tossed the mermaid onto his back and the three set out.

They traveled across the lake by the floating tree trunks, bounding all the way the other side of the forest. When they reached the stone wall, Nanami spotted a curved bead bobbing in the water. With the help of the Guidance Technique by her canine partners, she successfully retrieved the object.

Miyumi recognized the shaped and remembered that there was a door in the roof of the Pagoda that had one bead like theirs. She led the way to the flood building, her brother and the mermaid in tow. The three walked on the roof until they found the door which Miyumi remembered seeing. Nanami dug the bead out of their bag and placed it in the slot.

The door reacted to the two keys and opened. The smell of catfish reached Chibi and Miyumi's noses. It was in there alright, the fish. She would tear that animal to pieces for eating one of her friends. Before entering, Miyumi spoke with her teammates.

"Now listen, before we enter this place, no chickening out, got it? We need to be strong and stick together. Backing out now only puts Kuni's life in more danger. Promise me that once we enter, we won't leave until our mission is complete? Promise me that now" she said in a serious tone.

Nanami nodded. "I promise, Seaflower" she said truthfully.

Chibi nodded as well. "I promise too, Sissy" he replied honestly.

Miyumi smiled in approval. "Excellent. Let's jet" she mumbled softly. The trio proceeded inside the building, not looking over their shoulders once.

Inside, the place was cold and wet. The smell was musty and mossy, but bearable. Many floor boards were missing and there was noise coming from the lower levels underneath their feet. The group decided to move quickly to keep from being discovered.

Across the room, was a statue of a snake in a glass jar. Nanami was impressed by its size and detail. Before anybody could speak, multi-colored light rained down from the roof, spilling onto the pup's coats. Chibi looked up to see the night sky with a constellation shimmering against the black background.

The pups looked at one another before pulling out the Holy Ink and tracing the outline of stars. Without moments, they were surrounded by the realm of gods.

In front of them, was a white snake with red markings. She was sitting inside a sphere-shaped glass jar and stared at them before her face lit up.

"Hello there, Miyumi, Chibi, so nice to see you again!" she greeted. The pups wagged their tails.

"Hi Aunt Nuregami!" they yipped. The snake goddess seemed happy to see her niece and nephew again. It had been a few days since they left the island. She was considering telling her younger sister, Amaterasu, that she had found them. But after hearing about the amazing accomplishments the two had made from her brothers, she decided not to bring them home yet.

They had work to do.

"Well, I'll let your cousin talk to you, then you shall hear my advice" she hissed softly before rolling away. A small white jar rolled behind her, pushing her away. Out of the container, popped a small snake who resembled Nuregami.

She was having troubled standing up right. When she managed to get her jar upright, she realized her cousins were before her.

"Mimi! Chibi! It's you two!" she cheered giddily.

Chibi smiled. "Hi Natsumi!" he yipped.

The small snake didn't waste any time.

"_O Children of the Great Sun, I am the Young Nuregami. Your voice has called me forth to bring rain after the dry season. The sweet rain moistens the heart. For you, water will flow freely, and give succor to the parched earth as it drenches and soothes the land!"_ the snake chimed.

She disappeared into her pot and the allowed the technique to leave her body. It floated into the pups bodies and Nuregami appeared once more.

"My niece and nephew. . .water is like freedom, it does whatever it wants without rules. It does not apply to all, but it is there for the taking. When you find yourself in a situation that seems impossible to escape, look for an opportunity to get away, and if you find it, take it. That is all I can tell you. Farewell, may the power of the Immortals protect you always!" she called before the realm faded away.

The three traveled onward, making their way past barriers, one after the other. If that weren't the least of their problems, demons came forth, having discovered the children.

The trio had to battled their way out several times. Miyumi took bows for Chibi, her sisterly love for him firm in her mind. She had to be careful though. One of the fights had hurt her leg even more, if she continued to fight recklessly, her leg would be so beat up that it would never heal. If it came to that, she would have to have her leg amputated.

She didn't want that. She planned on returning home with all limbs in contact. Anyway, the trio moved from room to room, puzzle to puzzle, ambush to ambush. They were growing tired and got lost several times. Nanami considered giving up, but remembered what Miyumi made her promise. That promise kept her going despite the pain in her body.

Eventually, the children came to a new room with a statue of a monkey. Another constellation was revealed to them and Chibi traced it. The two were reunited with their Uncle Tsutagami and their cousin, his son, Tsutomu. He explained his purpose and gave them the Vine Technique.

After that, they moved on, with a bit more sense of direction this time. At one point, after fixing a statue, the pups were rewarded two swords. Chibi took Tsumugari, and Miyumi took Moon Saber, which was the same shape and style as Tsumugari, but light blue with a dark blue ribbon tied to the hilt.

And so, they moved on from room to room, Miyumi followed a scent she had picked up a few rooms ago. It was the catfish's stench and she was hot on the trail.

The moved from place to place, fighting off demons and such. Nanami and Chibi had to protect Miyumi since she received multiple injuries and was practically unable to fight.

After some battles, Nanami couldn't bear to see Miyumi in pain, so she used some special type of water magic and cleansed the she-wolf's wounds, which turned from huge and painful to minor scratches and small stings.

Chibi picked up the same scent his sister was following and led his teammates to the second floor, which they navigated in no time flat.

They moved about until they came to a stairway which led to the first floor. Miyumi stopped them.

"Listen, we've made it this far. We haven't a clue what lies beyond this door, but whatever it is, we will bring it down and save Kuni. Now, if anyone wants to back out, now's your only chance to do so" she stated.

Chibi didn't say a word. No way was he gonna chicken out! Kuni, one of his friends, was beyond that door! The only way he was leaving was with everyone, Kuni included! He remained silent.

Miyumi nodded in approval, then looked at Nanami, who sat still on Chibi's back.

The mermaid was just as silent. Even though she had only known the boy a short time, she felt him as a friend and wanted to save him. He had taught her something so valuable, so important to people, she couldn't just leave him to die. She certainly wouldn't leave Seaflower or Squiddy.

She cared about them too much to chicken out. She watched as Miyumi stared at her, reading her blue eyes. The she-wolf nodded at the bravely she saw in the young girl's eyes. That determination would be quite useful in the approaching confrontation.

Miyumi smiled and turned to look down the stairway. She wasn't chicken either. She was brave, quick-witted, smart and strong. She didn't care if her injuries were serious or not, she would fight until it killed her. Death didn't scare her.

No, she wasn't afraid to die.

If she died in the coming fight, she would go with honor and pride. She glanced over her shoulder to her brother and the mermaid. She smiled at them.

"Kuni's waiting for us. Let's jet" she murmured. The two nodded and followed her inside.

Down on the first floor, there were some islands against the walls and a walkway stretched out to the center, very convenient to the children. Miyumi and Chibi watched the water carefully, as if something might explode from it any second.

Nanami felt a strong presence that her companions didn't seem to feel.

"Be careful, Seaflower! You too Squiddy! He's close!" she warned. Miyumi relaxed her shoulder so the aura's presence would enter her body.

She lifted her body off the ground and looked at her brother. "Nanami's right! I can feel him too!" she growled. Chibi nodded, but kept watch. All three held their breath, waiting for the catfish to appear. What the trio was unaware of. . .was that their opponent. . .was right behind them.

And he was charging up electrical power!

Using his antennas, he threw a small sphere of the energy at them. The pups spotted it coming and spun away from the attack. They lowered their bodies to the floor, growling deathly.

Nanami was startled when she realized the catfish was hovering over them. He seemed pleased that they had arrived.

"Nu-ha-ha-ha! You're here! I must commend you for having been able to follow me this far!" he cackled. Miyumi rolled her eyes. She could care less whether he was expecting them or not. All she wanted to do was kick his tail and get Kuni back!

"Save it, fish! I don't wanna hear it!" she snapped angrily. The catfish ignored her and bared his teeth. Nanami was angry herself. How dare this monster eat Kuni!

"This is the end of the line for you, giant catfish!" she screamed. The catfish took offense to this. He wasn't a catfish and he would give that fact to her straight! Other than that, Chibi turned to Miyumi. The beast hadn't said his name, so maybe his sis knew who he was.

"Sissy, who the heck is this guy?" he whined. Miyumi glanced at him, her eyes narrowed and serious.

"This big fella is Bullhead! I overheard some rumors about a giant catfish living in this area. I got that info while we were at the Demon Market. You see, he wants to become a dragon and the only way that is going to happen is if he swims up a waterfall," she paused to sweat drop, "unfortunately, that legend only applies to carps. And he's a catfish" she explained.

Bullhead heard her clearly. He also heard Nanami's statement quite well.

"I am no catfish! I'm a carp!" he roared, waiting for them to say they were sorry for mistaking his breed. Unfortunately, the only thing he got. . .were looks that implied he was stupid.

Miyumi gave a half confused, half dumb look. How stupid was this creep? _'He actually he thinks he's a __**carp**__? Wow!' _she thought with a laugh. All three looked him in the eye.

Bullhead was confused as to why the children were staring at him the way they were.

"Why are you looking at me like I'm a catfish or something!" he shouted.

Nanami replied with a sweat drop. "Because as far as I can tell, you ARE a catfish!" she retorted. Miyumi nodded and spoke up. "That's right! Listen, you numbskull, we're not here to play games. We came looking for our friend!" she hissed coldly.

Bullhead didn't like the mermaid's comment or the she-wolf's rude attitude. He had to fix this mess!

"No! This is just the disguise I wear to hide in this world! I'm really a carp! And soon I will become a dragon! Nu-ha-ha-ha!" he laughed.

Nanami couldn't believe this! This overgrown catfish was nothing but stupid and a waste of her time!

"I don't have time to sit here and listen to your stories! Give me that boy back right now!" she snapped. Miyumi lowered her body to the ground and growled deathly. She had only known the fish a few minutes and he already annoyed her!

Nanami was feeling the same way. She looked over at Miyumi, who looked positively ticked off. She remembered when she first saw the she-wolf so angry. It wasn't too long ago. She looked ready to maul that pervert. . .Wait! What was she thinking? This was no time for a trip down memory lane! They had a friend to rescue and a baka catfish to dispose of!

She looked back at Bullhead, his eyes were looked on her blue ones. He was snickering.

"Nu-ha-ha-ha! That, I cannot do!" he boomed. Chibi stared at him, his golden eyes no leaving the fish's face.

"Well, why not? Because you need him? Or is it because you were told to kidnap him and if you do, you're dead?" he barked. Miyumi waved her tail to silence him.

Bullhead stared down at the children with anger and laughter in his eyes. "No, it's because that little twerp is inside my belly" he scoffed. Miyumi's eyes widened in shock and horror. Was Kuni dead? Were they too late to save him? She felt like crying, she had lost yet another being who she cared for. Suddenly, something inside her snapped.

'_What's this feeling? I feel so angry and aggressive. . .it feels too strong to be wolf instincts! Is there something inside me that's doing this? It's telling me to kill. . .to destroy. I can't hold out much longer. . .Have I gone insane before? If I have, I don't remember anything. Whatever this is. . .it's directed at Bullhead. It's telling me to destroy him. . .to get rid of him! Uncle Susano says I had a tendency to be aggressive, but I've never felt this violent before. . .!'_ she asked herself, worriedly.

Nanami was worried too. Kuni was inside Bullhead's stomach? This had to be a dream! This couldn't be real. Then again. . .demons are real. And Bullhead _**is**_ a demon. But. . .still it had to be a dream!

"N-No! I don't believe you!" she shouted, tears forming in her eyes. She sweated, the salty liquid pouring down her body.

Bullhead found her statement assuming. Maybe he could turn this into a game? Yeah, that founded. . ."fun". He laughed a deep, evil laugh.

"Why don't you slice my belly open have a peek inside? Of course, that would be impossible for you though. You know why? Because I have the Wet Jewel and Dry Jewel! And with these in my possession, I'm unstoppable!" he growled.

Miyumi rolled her eyes. Some demons just thought they were big shots. The situation reminded her of when she and her brother first met Kuni. She noticed Nanami's expression turn from serious, to explosively angry. She and Chibi nearly jumped when she went crazy.

"So it was you who stole my treasures! Those are very special to me" she shouted, fuming and waving her fists around in a "Put 'em up!" kind of way. "They were given to me by Otohime! Give them back!" the young mermaid screamed.

Miyumi flattened her ears to her skull. Nanami sure had a loud voice. She was definitely _**not **_one of those shy, timid girls who hid behind strong men. The she-wolf smirked. She wasn't like either! She turned her attention back to Bullhead.

He was laughing. "Nu-ha-ha-ha! What's mine is mine! In everything, we must all give up something. . .and it's time for you to give up your life!" he roared.

The two wolves snarled. They had had enough of this overgrown, dumb catfish! Chibi hopped to his sister's side. "Bring it on, baka! We're not going down without a fight!" he yipped angrily. Bullhead snickered and plunged into the water.

Miyumi scanned the surface, watching for the fish to attack. Chibi watched too, before Nanami tapped his head and pointed behind them. Bullhead was encircling them, trying to catch them off guard. The trio watched him until he ducked back underwater. Chibi watched the lake, waiting for the fish.

Not too far away from the them, Bullhead exploded from the water, charging at Chibi full speed. Miyumi saw this and realized that her brother wouldn't be able to dodge him in time. She thought over her options as Bullhead came closer.

Maybe she could ram into him? No! If she did that, there was a good chance she would be forced into the water. While she was a good swimmer, she would be a sitting duck in the lake, completely vulnerable to Bullhead's attacks. She looked up to see a giant flower hanging upside down from the ceiling.

A wicked smirk played her lips. Quicker than the Ark on jump-to-light-speed, she got out their Ink and traced a line from the flower to. . .where? She spotted a hook in the catfish's mouth and got an idea. She sent the line to the hook and a vine formed. It pulled Bullhead up to the ceiling, leaving him defenseless against her. If she had time, Miyumi would have laughed. This reminded her of a struggling fish! Oh wait! He _**was**_ a struggling fish!

"Hey Chibi, I got him!" she called. Chibi and Nanami whipped around and stared in shock.

The smaller pup's mouth dropped open. He looked at his sister with shocked eyes.

"How did you-" he began, but Miyumi cut him off.

"No time! Hurry! Attack!" she commanded. The two pups went to cutting him violently. Nanami used her water magic to whip him and the water hit hard. Finally, Bullhead managed to free his tongue from the hook and landed with a thud on top of the children. He slid off them and back into the water. The sequence of capturing him, attacking, and him landing on them went on many times.

He grew tired of this simple encircling game and moved to another island. Chibi saw this trick. He wanted them to follow him. The tiny pup looked up at his sister.

"Sissy, you guide Nanami, I'll deal with Bullhead!" he yipped. Miyumi nodded. She helped Nanami along, but the mermaid didn't get very far for long.

The catfish smirked. _'Excellent! They fell for it!'_ he thought wickedly. He jumped out of the water and was going to land on the marine girl, crushing her to nothing, but apparently, that wasn't gonna happen! Chibi watched Bullhead jump.

"Don't think I didn't see that one coming!" he hissed. He used Power Slash, cutting into the catfish's side. Bullhead doubled over in pain and landed in the water, back first with a scream. Nanami smiled, but didn't stop swimming.

"Thanks Squiddy!" she shouted. Bullhead tried some more to crush her, but failed miserably. The pups were just too smart for him! Once Nanami was on the island, Miyumi used their Vine Technique, wrapped the plant around their bodies and allowed themselves to be pulled to the other island.

This time, Bullhead tried ramming into them. One time, he almost knocked Miyumi into the water. Another time, Chibi and Nanami almost went in. However, they did managed to hang him a few times and deal some damage.

The fish was certainly persistent. He wasn't showing any signs of giving up. Why did he want to destroy them? Did he really see them, mere children, as a threat to his plans? If he did, then Chibi was glad that he saw as opponents, not just small children.

The smaller pup looked at his sister. Her leg was still giving her problems. He wanted to tell her to back out, to stop fighting. But he knew, he just knew that she wouldn't let for a second. Her determination was strong. That was proved through her training. She wanted to become a powerful sun god. He wanted that too!

Like his Uncle Gekigami always said: "Fight until you're wounded, then fight some more!". The pup nodded and watched for Bullhead. He had moved to yet another island. He was about to send Nanami into the water, when some beams rose from the water.

He would have to navigate her around them, while Miyumi fended off the catfish. And she did just that. Once they made it to the three island, Bullhead had started using his antennas to charge electrical power and shout spheres of shocking energy at them.

Miyumi had had enough of his games and wanted to end this. It was getting ridiculous! They dodged his attacks and hung even more than before. All tree dealt an attack at the same time, knocking Bullhead off the line and into the water. He disappeared for a few seconds. Miyumi pulled her brother and friend to her and sheltered them beside her stomach.

Would Bullhead attack again? He looked pretty worn out, but he probably still had enough energy to fight some more, while they did not.

Miyumi had several bites marks on her legs, back, neck, and head. The bandages she had on her ripped off and the wounds reopened. Blood was dripping down her face and soaking her fur. Her legs wobbled and she felt that she might collapse at any second.

Chibi didn't looked as bad, but he was in so much pain. His back had taken many bite marks, his front left paw had been chew and the pad on the bottom had been ripped open, blood was gushing. Bullhead had raked his fangs against the poor pup's face, removing some bits of fur and scraping his skin. His right eye had a scar over it. It was so bad, he couldn't even open it.

Nanami had taken some bites and cuts as well, but she wasn't bleeding. Her friends had taken so many beatings to protect her, she felt horrible! She was about to speak, when something rose from the surface.

It was Bullhead!

They thought he was dead at first, but Nanami saw his stomach go up and down. He was breathing, but he was also unconscious and on his back.

Miyumi sighed. "Well, I'm glad that's over!" she admitted. Chibi and Nanami nodded and smiled. Then, there was a slight banging noise. Chibi turned his attention to the catfish, his mouth was moving a little.

"What the-?" he asked. The mouth was slowly being lifted up. Miyumi spotted someone inside, lifting the jaw up. The person was covering in slime. She ducked her head down a little, ignoring the pain in her neck and got a good clean look at the person's face. Her eyes widened in shock and happiness.

Kuni!

The she-wolf whipped around to her teammates. "Chibi! Nanami! It's Kuni!" she shouted happily. She watched as the pup's and the mermaid's jaws drop. "Ah!" Nanami cried.

Kuni opened the catfish's mouth enough where he could hop out. He landed before the wolves and the mermaid girl. He slowly walked to them, the slime dripping off his body.

"You're OK!" Nanami cheered, she eyes filled with tears of happiness. Kuni stopped, put his hands on his sides, leaned back and. . .laughed?

"Wa-ha-ha-ha! The son of the heroic Susano is not going without a fight!" he shouted. Chibi sweat dropped.

"Yeah. We heard you the first ten times!" he said dully. Miyumi gently nudged him, being careful of his wounds. Kuni smiled at them. He was happy to see his partners and the mermaid again.

It had been horrible inside Bullhead's belly! He was sure he was going to die, but thanks to his friends, he was alive and well! Then, he suddenly remembered something.

"I even brought these back from the belly of that big catfish!" he stated, holding a pink jewel and a blue jewel in his hands. Nanami looked thrilled and happy at the same time. Miyumi assumed that the jewels Kuni was holding were the Dry and Wet Jewels that the mermaid was throwing a fit about earlier. "Oh! The Wet Jewel and the Dry Jewel! Thank you!" she chimed.

The trio watched as the two jewels twirled around them, sparkling and glowing as they danced. Nanami seemed to glow too. "I've been looking for these! Now I can finally go back to the sea!" she cheered. The pups wagged their tails. They were happy for their undersea friend.

The group's reunion was interrupted by the violent shaking of the building. Kuni and Nanami went into a panic while Miyumi felt herself sway side to side underneath her weak paws. Chibi leaned against his sister to balance her out. Suddenly, Bullhead burst from the water, fully recovered. He slammed onto the small island, but the group hopped away just in time, landing on the flower above their heads.

The giant catfish looked absolutely annoyed. "Taking away the jewels from me only takes away my control over water. But don't think you've won! You shall see my true strength!" he howled, looking up at the children. Miyumi's eyes half closed and she shook her head.

"Oh, for goodness sake. . .Nanami!" she shouted, turning for her friend. The mermaid knew right away that her canine friend wanted her to do something.

She smiled at her. "Relax Seaflower. I got this!" she murmured. Bullhead growled up at them.

"Come down here so I can KILL YOU!" he roared. Nanami looked ticked off as well.

"Sheesh! He just won't shut up!" she shouted. She had pulled out te Dry Jewel, letting the precious object float in her hands. She began to raise it above her head. "Now that I have the Dry Jewel back, I can dry up the water!" she shouted. Energy from inside the pink jewel exploded and the water level decreased rapidly.

The pups and Kuni watched it sink. They were shocked at how deep the water was.

"Wow!" Chibi shouted, shocked out of his mind. Kuni nodded, Miyumi did too. She couldn't believe how big the Pagoda. Well, once the water was all gone, Bullhead was left upside down, on his back flailing madly.

Kuni couldn't believe that even though the water was gone, the catfish was still putting up a fight. He shook his head. "He just doesn't quit!" he growled, aggravated. He turned to look at the mermaid, who was sitting comfortably on her tail, like a human girl would sit on her legs.

"Nanami, stay here! Kimiko, Mutt, and I will handle it from here!" he yelled. Nanami was startled by his tone. It was so serious sounding.

Yet, she did not protest. "O-OK!" she stuttered. The pups and Kuni looked at each other and nodded. The young boy withdrew his wooden sword and held it high before bringing it down to his left hip.

"Kimiko! Mutt! Let's do this! We'll show him who's stronger!" he shouted. Miyumi smiled.

"Yea! Let's jet!" she barked.

"Let's get 'em!" Chibi howled. The three jumped down to the fish. They began violently attacking him. Kuni cut the fish's sides while the pups attacked with Power Slash. They landed a cut to Bullhead's face, paralyzing him. He was frozen upward until he gave one final screech and collapsed altogether. Miyumi and Chibi looked at one another.

It was time for their Double Victory Howl!

The faced one another, swiped their paws across their muzzles, threw their heads back and howled. When they finished, they uttered their famous finishing sentence:

"Let peace reign throughout land!"

Nanami had heard Bullhead's final cry of pain and peered over the flower. She couldn't believe her eyes. Her friends' attacks were beautiful and graceful. She loved it! "He's done for good now! That was amazing!" she cheered.

She jumped down and landed beside her friends. Kuni was on Chibi's back and Miyumi was sitting quietly next to them, wagging her tail. Their third victory! She was proud! She lifted her head to the ceiling, but in reality, she was looking up to Heaven.

'_I hope you're proud too, Mama!'_ she thought happily. She lowered her gaze back to her brother and friends. Kuni was laughing victoriously. He seemed like he wanted to boast.

"Ya-ha-ha! Of course it was! I'm Susano's son!" he bragged. Miyumi sweat dropped.

"OK, we get it! You don't need to repeat yourself a thousand times!" she barked in a serious, yet playful tone. Before she could say any more, Kuni beckoned her over and she stood beside him. Chibi yipped happily. "We were awesome! That's what I call a good fight!" he yipped cutely. Miyumi giggled and nuzzled her brother. Chibi leaned into it.

Kuni ruffled up the pups' fur and patted their heads. "There's no enemy too big that Kimiko, Mutt and I can't handle 'em!" he shouted. The wolves wagged their tails. This certainly was a good time.

"You bet Kuni! We are the most awesome team out there!" he howled. Miyumi was about to open her mouth when the area around the group began to shake. The children looked around worriedly before noticing Bullhead lift his body up, his eyes blazing with fury.

He had had enough of these pesky kids meddling in his affairs! There was only one honorable act left that he could do before departing this life. . .

Kill the children.

Miyumi backed up and stood in front of her friends and brother.

"You stay away from them!" she hissed, her eyes burning an angry red. _'The aggression I felt before. . .is back?'_ she thought shocked. Kuni, Nanami, and Chibi huddled behind the she-wolf, peering from around her.

How was Bullhead still alive? They cut him up and beat him down so much that he should have bleed internally to death! So how was he still breathing? Well, if ya looked at it right, he was barely alive. Nanami could tell.

His breaths were far apart and his body wracked and shuddered. Kuni shook with fear, but remained close to Miyumi. Chibi stayed next to his sister's belly, listening to her breath. That always made him feel better. But Miyumi's breaths were deep, and followed by growls. Judging by how she was breathing and how aggressive her snarling sounded, she was frustrated and furious.

Anyway, Bullhead gasped for breath as he spoke.

"Nyaaarghhhh! I'm not through with you!" he gasped.

He breathed in deeper.

"I may never become a dragon, but you'll never leave here alive!"

And deeper.

"My final act is to sentence you to your eternal doom!" he croaked. With the fling of his antenna, he hit an electrical box behind him, shorting it. Suddenly, the room shook so hard that pieces of the ceiling began to crumble down. Water gushed into the room and rose quickly.

The pups and the kids suddenly found themselves in a lake that was forty-five feet deep. Miyumi was washed to one side of the Pagoda, losing sight of Kuni, Nanami, and Chibi.

She struggled against the raging waves. While she was a good swimmer, even she couldn't survive these violent waters. She was knocked into the walls of the building, the impacts hard against her wounded body. As she flailed, she noticed a pool of crimson red forming around her.

Her blood!

The wounds she had received were still bleeding! If she didn't get out of there and patch them up, she would die of blood loss. Before Miyumi knew it, she had been submerged. The entire building had been flooded to the roof. The she-wolf has being tossed and turned in the rapids, the crimson liquid dancing around her body like ribbons.

'_Can't. . .breath!' _she screamed in her head. Her lungs burned, in dire need of air. She let go out the breath in her mouth.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" she screamed, a bunch of air bubbles coming out of her mouth. She spotted a giant hole in the side of the Pagoda. She tried to swim to it, but had no energy.

Was this it? Was she going to die? No! She had to hold on! But, she felt so weak, so light-headed from lack of air. She felt so dizzy, her vision was starting to go blurry.

'_M__è__re, s'il vous plait. . .sauver moi!'_ she cried in her head. Before she passed out, her body was pulled by the current of rushing water and she was dragged outside. Miyumi woke up when her face reached the water's surface and she looked around.

She was outside the Pagoda, but the water was still rushing around her. Before she could react, a giant tidal wave knocked into her, sending the hybrid wolf flying upwards into the air.

"Whoa! Wha! AAAAHHHH!" she screamed. She flew up high to where the tips of Agata's tallest trees and plummeted back down into the raging waters below.

At least, that's what she thought would happen. As she fell, she noticed that the fall was easing up and she was landing gently as if something had grabbed ahold of her. She landed on a wet patch of ground.

Or. . .at least. . .she thought it was solid ground. She opened her eyes and looked down. What she saw shocked her.

Below the she-wolf. . .was a lake about seventy feet deep. She saw fish and other aquatic animals swimming around, chasing each other. She tapped the lake's surface with her paw, and it made a splashing noise. She moved back and forth across the surface slowly. She processed this new information through her head until she realized something. . .

She. . .was walking _**on**_ the water.

'_I'm on the WATER? NO WAY! But. . .you need a Water Tablet to do this! Wait, Papa can walk on water. Am I doing this naturally?'_ she asked herself.

Okay, she was walking on water. No need to panic, right? Of course not! She thought it was pretty cool that she could do such a thing. Suddenly, she remembered what had happened and what was still happening! A tidal wave sent her forward, spinning her around in circles on her rear.

When she stopped and regained her posture, she shook herself. She had to find her brother and her friends. Nanami should be okay, because she was a mermaid.

But, Kuni and Chibi could easily drown out there. Miyumi took a deep breath and shouted.

"CHIBI! KUNI! NANAMI!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. She waited a few seconds before she got two replies:

"KIMIKO!"

Kuni's voice. . .

"SISSY! HELP!"

Chibi's voice. . .

Without one more thought, Miyumi dashed across the water, ignoring the trail of crimson behind her. As she started to catch up to the voices, she saw Chibi and Kuni bobbing up and down as the water swirled around their bodies.

Kuni spotted Miyumi as she was dashing. He had no clue that she was running on the water.

"KIMIKO! HEEEELLLLPPPPP!" he screamed as he thrashed.

Miyumi ran even faster, tears coming to her eyes. This situation. . .was so scary! She felt like screaming and crying. Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse. . .she saw Bullhead's corpse rushing beside her, not too many feet away.

Purple smoke was rising from his half open mouth. She watched the smoke rise far above her head and transform into the same creature she had first seen back in Hana Valley after she beat up Anura.

She snarled, but didn't stop running. "YOU!" she screamed angrily. The creature looked down at her, its mouth forming into a snarl.

"Don't think I'm finished just yet, Okami Miyumiterasu!" it roared. Miyumi nearly stopped dead when it spoke her name. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

The creature continued. "You and your brother are starting to get on my nerves. Already, you have taken out _**two**_ of my generals, but I will not stop trying to destroy you both! You and your annoying little followers haven't seen the last of me, Daughter of the Sun!" it threatened.

Before the hybrid wolf could say anything, the creature flew off and vanished into thin air. Miyumi was dumbfounded and confused.

Who was that? How did he know her? Well, whoever he was, it didn't matter right now. She had to save Kuni and Chibi. She hissed at Bullhead's corpse and dashed off.

She saw a log rushing towards her brother and Kuni. The young boy moved himself in front of the pup so the log would hit him. Chibi was pushed away, but managed to catch up and latch onto the log.

Miyumi moved even faster and caught up to the boys. She leapt onto the log and moved towards the front.

"BOYS!" she screamed over the rushing water. Kuni looked up.

"KIMIKO! IT'S YOU!" he cheered. Chibi noticed his sister as well.

"SISSY! YOU'RE HERE!" he cried joyfully.

Miyumi nodded and reached down with her fangs to grab the two when Kuni stopped her.

". . .Kimiko. . .Mutt. . .Thank you. . .But only two of us can make it. . .You two were good partners. And great friends. . ." he said gently. Before Chibi or Miyumi could say a single word, Kuni rammed the hilt of his sword into Chibi knocking him away.

Miyumi whipped around, watching her brother flail.

"CHIBI!" she screamed.

Kuni just watched the smaller pup wash away.

"See you around. . ." he mumbled. Miyumi glared furiously at the young boy.

Her next words shocked Kuni.

"HOW ON EARTH COULD YOU DO THAT? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?" she screamed, her eyes blood red. Kuni shivered, but remained calm.

"Kimiko. . .scream at me all you want. . .it won't save Mutt," he said gently, nodding in the direction of the drowning puppy. "He needs you more than I do. . .go on. . .go. . ." he said softly.

Miyumi couldn't hold back her tears.

"You. . .you little-AAAAHHHHH!" she screamed and dove after her brother, leaving Kuni behind. She saw Nanami coming up beside her. When she looked back to where Chibi was, she saw him many feet below the surface.

Chibi could barely keep his eyes open. He could make out Nanami, who was carrying him. His sister, who was slowly walking behind her, and a giant cursed zone in the distance. His vision began to fade entirely.

Then. . .all was dark and silent.

When he first came to, Chibi could hear the sound of rushing waves and Nanami's soft voice.

"Hold on! We'll be on dry land soon!" she whispered quickly.

When the trio arrived at Ryoshima Coast, things were peaceful and gentle. Nanami had gently deposited Chibi on the beach. Miyumi dragged herself onto the sand and fell over, curling next to her brother.

Chibi had his eyes closed, but he was breathing. Miyumi felt light-headed from blood loss and she also felt sick.

Nanami went to work quickly. She dug through the bag Miyumi had thrown onto the sand and found lots of medical supplies. Quickly, she wrapped bandages around her friends' wounds and applied ointment and herbs to infected-looking spots.

Just when she thought she was done, she realized her friends had lost a lot of blood. Luckily, she had just the thing. She pulled out two herbs. They were identical, both blue-green with red stripes.

"Seaflower. . .Squiddy. . .eat these. . ." she said, shoving them in front of their noses.

The pups didn't respond, but took them into their mouths. Nanami smiled.

"Those were Blood Herbs. They're very rare on land, but common undersea. I found those in Queen Otohime's garden. According to Her Majesty, these herbs replenish the body's blood content and make you stronger. You'll be fine" she whispered.

Still, the pups didn't respond.

Nanami was silent for a moment before speaking again.

". . .I'm sorry, Squiddy. You too Seaflower. I couldn't find Kuni. . .But I know he's still alive, out there somewhere. I could feel his life force in the water. He's bound to wash ashore somewhere," the girl was silent for a mere moment before continuing, "But before you both go, you two should rest up. Thank you for all your help. I can never repay that" he whispered softly.

The young mermaid gave both wolves a loving hug and pat on the back. Without another word, she dove into the water. Before leaving, she turned to the wolves, and spoke.

"I know you two don't remember this. . .but we did meet before you know. I know you'll both remember someday. Good luck to you, Squiddy! And you too, Seaflower! Don't forget me again!" was the last sentence the two pups heard before they woke.

When the two shot up. . .all they saw was the ocean.

Miyumi stared out at the water. Chibi looked at his sister.

"What are we gonna do now, Sissy?" he asked in a whimper.

Miyumi didn't look at him, but spoke.

"I dunno know. . .but we need to find someplace to camp" she whispered. She flicked her tail and the two headed up the hill, hearing growling along the way.

"It's gonna be a long night. . ." Miyumi whispered.

**All done! R&R! Sorry if the chapter wasn't as good. **

**Yuki's Guide to French Terms **

_**M**__**è**__**re, s'il vous plait. . .sauver moi!-Mother, please. . .save me! **_

**All done! Goodnight! Review!**__


	8. A Dream Encounter! The Truth Revealed?

**Hi everyone! I'm back! Okay, let's get rollin' with chapter 8. Quick reminder, I do NOT own Okami or Okamiden. If I did, the secrets of the Moon Tribe would be revealed and Miyumiterasu would be an actual character of Okamiden. **

**Miyumi: Oh, is this the chapter where it's revealed that I can- **

**Chibi: Sissy, don't spoil the surprise! **

**Miyumi: Gomen. **

**Anyway, from this day forward, I will be asking questions about both games to see how well you all know Okami and Okamiden! **

**Yuki's Quick Trivia Question: Where is Nuregami's constellation located in Okami? **

"Ugh. . .I'll tell ya Chibi, that was just awful!" Miyumi groaned as the two walked forward. Chibi nodded and looked ahead, images of the disaster flashing before his eyes. When he had lost sight of his sister, he nearly panicked at the thought of losing her. Massive waves forced him underwater and he held his breath so long that his lungs began to burn.

Not only that, he had inhaled a few pints of water, causing him to choke violently. When his head came above water, he found himself outside the Pagoda, being pushed and shoved by the swirling waves. Kuni wasn't too far ahead of him, and Miyumi was nowhere in sight. He had screamed for his parents and uncles, but he knew they wouldn't come.

They couldn't hear his cries. When he and Kuni embraced to stay together, a log rammed into them. Kuni took the blow of course to protect him. Chibi was spun away, that's when he saw Miyumi. . .running on the water.

He was amazed at how fast and elegant she looked, but a trail of crimson flooded out behind her. She had taken so many beatings, he was sure she would die, but she wasn't dead yet, neither was he. When he had clung to the log, Miyumi jumped on top of it, in an attempt to rescue the boys. However, Kuni knocked him away with the hilt of his sword. The last thing Chibi had heard before all went black, was Miyumi's scream.

He had woken for a few seconds, seeing Nanami and his beloved sister, then collapsed again. He wondered why his relatives hadn't sent some kind of miracle to save them. Some kind of magic or person would have been enough.

Did his family not care enough about him? Wait, maybe Miyumi and Nanami were the miracles. If they were, he hoped that his grandfather, Izanagi, had done something to protect Kuni. He had become so close to the boy, as if he were a brother.

Yeah, they had become like brothers, with Miyumi the big sister. _'Maybe Sissy and I will make more brothers and sisters. Everyone who helped Mama was and __**is**__ family to her. Kuni is family, and families help and protect one another. In the name of all the Immortal Leaders, when Sissy and I become Sun Gods, I will protect my family. . . all of them. . .'_ he finished his thought.

What he hadn't been aware of, was that his sister had been talking.

"-and then, from Bullhead's mouth, came that purple smoke we saw coming from Anura's mouth. It transformed into that strange-looking demon we saw in Hana Valley. He said that we are getting in his way and, apparently, he knows our names. On another note, we won't be able to travel for a while" Miyumi stated.

Chibi caught up to the conversation quickly. "Why is that?" he asked, before closing his mouth. Miyumi stopped, and sighed. Why was her brother asking such a stupid question? Maybe he wasn't listening to her? Well, how could you be so focused on something after nearly dying? Either way, she would have to explain. While the two were super smart for their ages, Chibi still had to be taught some things.

"I'm sure you know why we can't go anywhere. Look at the condition we're in. We're both badly beaten up and have grown weak, we're exhausted from all the thrashing, and our wounds are in bad shape. If it weren't just that, there's a giant cursed zone hanging over Ryoshima like a curtain, our powers need to recharge and that will take a good few hours before we can even use Bloom on the Guardian Sapling, when we find it that is, it's nighttime and demons are much more active during this time, and I smell rain, which means a storm's going to come through here pretty soon, so we need to find some shelter" she explained, exhaling deeply.

How did she ever manage to get that all in one breath? Oh well, she guessed it didn't matter. At the moment, they needed to find someplace to rest. Miyumi looked around, before spotting a narrow passageway, probably leading to a cave. The hybrid she-wolf beckoned her brother with her tail over to the passageway.

They crept quietly, keeping an eye out for demons. If they were to be attacked while in their terrible condition, they would die quickly. The monsters wouldn't have a problem destroying them. Chibi stiffened when he heard growls coming from somewhere nearby. Miyumi said nothing, but pulled Chibi closer with her tail.

When they reached the end of the passageway, the twosome found a giant crack in the dead end. Without one word, Chibi drew a Cherry Bomb, and, when it exploded, revealed a small cave with a pond in the center. Miyumi smiled.

"_Parfait! Ceci caverne devoir fourir nous avec abri de le orage"_ she yipped happily. Chibi followed her in and the two made themselves at home. Miyumi dumped their bag on the ground and pulled out a pink blanket, the same one she had laid on when Kushi and Mrs. Orange had treated her wounds. Chibi smoothed out the ruffles while Miyumi pulled out a few Rice Balls, a package of Sushi, and a small bag filled with ingredients for Nikujaga.

Also inside the bag, was bowl to hold their food. Since they had a lot of money on them, the two had decided to spend it on food, medicine and other supplies. One time, Miyumi had seen a small burner that was used to cook food. The merchant said it was very old, but still durable. The wolves had bought it and placed it in their bag, along with lots of food and medicine.

Chibi was shocked when he saw the burner being pulled from their bag.

"Um. . .Sissy?"

"Hm?"

"How is it we can fit so much stuff in there, but the bag always looks the same size and shape every time?"

"That's an easy question. The answer is: it's a bottomless bag" she replied. Chibi looked stunned. All this time, they had a bag that could hold everything and anything, and she never told him? He couldn't believe it!

Well, what his real question was, where did she get the bag? He knew for certain that only magical beings could ever have such a thing. He wondered if she stole it. No! Miyumi would never steal, at least, not from a human or an Immortal.

"If you don't mind me asking, where did you get it?" the young pup asked curiously. Miyumi set the burner upright and with a flick of her tail, a small fire appeared beneath it. She looked back at her sibling with a mild look.

"I've had this bag for quite a long time, many years in fact. I received this bag as a birthday gift from Grandfather. He told me that there would come a time when I would need this, and that time is now" she explained. Chibi sighed.

Good. She didn't steal it. His thoughts were interrupted by a boom and a flash of lightning. Both pups jumped and rain began to pour down. From how it sounded, the storm would be lasting all night. Miyumi sighed, got out the Nikujaga ingredients, threw them in the bowl, and placed the object on the burner.

Chibi watched steam rise from the bowl and the scent of potatoes and meat reached his nose. It smelled delicious! He could hardly wait to eat it. Outside, thunder exploded and lightning struck the sky. Rain pelted the ground with ceaseless onslaught. Chibi remained near the burner, trying to take in the little warmth it gave off.

Warmth. . .food. . .protection. . .this was all being given to him by his sister. She had promised that she'd protect and watch over him whenever their parents or other guardians were absent. The same went with their cousins. Miyumi didn't protest once when given the job. She just nodded and said "Of course".

Miyumi's eyes were fixed on the burner, not on the storm or anything else. She flinched slightly when it thundered, but that was it. She had been trained to show no fear, but let the emotion slip from time to time.

Anyway, Chibi stared out the small entrance to their little campsite and watched the rain.

'_I wonder. . .if those raindrops. . .are Mama's tears?'_ he thought to himself. The children had been gone for about two weeks now, and Amaterasu had every right to worry and cry. E wondered why she didn't come down to find them herself. Maybe their father had stopped her, telling her that they would come home eventually?

The smaller pup sighed. He hoped that's what his father had told Amaterasu. For now, he and Miyumi would be traveling around Nippon, ridding the world of darkness, and then go home to their family.

"Chibi, dinner's ready" Miyumi's soft voice chimed. The young pup snapped from deep thought and blinked.

"Oh. Okay!" he replied softly. Using her teeth, Miyumi grabbed the rim of the bowl and placed it on the ground. She ripped open the package of sushi and placed it on the floor as well. She did the same with the rice balls. The pups ate in silence, savoring the taste and the warmth of the food. When they finished, Miyumi dipped the bowl in the water to let it soak overnight and put away everything else.

The two laid on the blanket, Chibi curled up against his sister's warm side, snuggling into her fur. The storm grew more intense and thunder exploded every few minutes. Chibi whimpered, but Miyumi shushed him. The only thing that would calm him was a lullaby:

_Ooooooooooohhhhh_

_Au clair de la lune,  
>Mon ami Pierrot,<br>Prête-moi ta plume  
>Pour écrire un mot,<br>Ma chandelle est morte,  
>Je n'ai plus de feu,<br>Ouvre-moi ta porte  
>Pour l'amour de Dieu. <em>

_Ooooooooooooohhhhhh _

_Au clair de la lune,  
>Pierrot répondit:<br>-Je n'ai pas de plume,  
>Je suis dans mon lit.<br>Va chez la voisine,  
>Je crois qu'elle y est,<br>Car dans sa cuisine,  
>On bat le briquet.<em>

_Ooooooooooohhhhhhhhh _

_Au clair de la lune,  
>S'en fut Arlequin<br>Frapper chez la brune  
>Elle répond soudain<br>-Qui frappe de la sorte?  
>Il dit à son tour:<br>-Ouvrez votre porte,  
>Pour le dieu d'amour! <em>

_Oooooooooooooohhhhhhh _

_Au clair de la lune,  
>On n'y voit qu'un peu.<br>On chercha la plume,  
>On chercha du feu.<br>En cherchant d'la sorte,  
>Je n'sais c'qu'on trouva<br>Mais je sais qu'la porte  
>Sur eux se ferma.<em>

_Ooooooooooooohhhhhhhh. _

It worked. Chibi's body relaxed and, to the she-wolf's surprise, hers did too. Soon she fell into a deep, quiet sleep.

* * *

><p>"<em>Where am I? What's that smell?"<em> Miyumi asked herself. The area around her was pitch black, she could see nothing. But there was this disgusting aroma hanging in the air. It was familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place it.

"_Hello? Is anyone here?"_ she asked again. Her voice came back to her as an echo. She decided to walk, since that was the only thing she could do. As she walked, she kept calling out, hoping to get a response that wasn't her own.

No one replied expect for the echo.

While she trudged on, the smell grew stronger with step. She felt as if she had been walking for hours on end, but got nowhere. The stench was burning her eyes and nose now, so much that she felt she might vomit.

Then, a bright white light ripped through the darkness and engulfed Miyumi. The wolf looked away, before everything went white then. . .

Silence.

Miyumi was unsure if she should open her eyes or not, but she sucked up the courage, preparing for the worst. Instead, she saw nothing horrible. The repugnant smell was still there, but no one was around. Miyumi also noticed that she could see farther. She froze and lifted up her paw, no wait. . .

Hand?

She threw it back down by her side. Had she become human?

Suddenly, she noticed something gleaming. A large piece of an old mirror was but a few feet away. She ran toward it and looked at her reflection.

She was in her Moon Tribe form. Only she looked a little different.

Her long golden hair had been brushed well and pulled up into a high ponytail, tied with a light blue ribbon. Her bangs were the same, not parted, spiky, and curling inward. Above her eyebrows were two dots, the mark of a Tribal member.

The girl lifted her hand and touched her face, noticing there and then that the sleeve of her top was light blue. She looked down and saw her outfit. It's style was that of a miko dress **(A/N: Kagu's style)**. The top was light blue and the sleeves began on her upper arms and flowed down past her wrists, almost hiding her fingers. The cloth sticheson her sleeves were dark blue and the pants were light blue and covered with glowing Lunar Symbols.

"_What is this? Why am I wearing a miko dress? How did this get on my body? Where am I anyway?"_ she asked, looking around.

The ground was grayish-white, hard, and crumbled under her feet. She gaze reached the sky to see it was pitch black and dotted with stars, twinkling against the blackness. She turned her head about 45 degrees and saw the planet Earth.

She couldn't believe it. The girl trembled with anger and frustration, before whipping around and screaming.

"_WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE?"_ she screamed into the distance. Her echo came back to her, but that wasn't the only thing that replied to the question.

"_My goodness, child. If you keep that up, you shall wake the dead"_ a feminine voice came from behind. Miyumi whipped around. There, stood a woman.

A member of the Moon Tribe from the looks of it.

Her hair was golden blonde, but not tied up in any way. It wasn't parted at the back, nor were her bangs. She had Aqua Marine eyes and wore the exact same outfit a Miyumi. Her hat was small and had dark blue to light blue feathers on top. She was very slender and much taller than Miyumi was.

The teenage girl gritted her teeth, happy to know she still had her fangs, and growled lowly.

"_Who are you? Where am I? What's that smell? Why am I in a miko dress?"_ she asked angrily. The woman smiled and chuckled a bit. This girl had a lot of questions, which was good of course, because she had all the answers.

"_Here are your answers in this order: My name is Stellaluna, we are on the moon, that smell is the scent of blood, and you are in a miko dress because you are just like me. There. Anything else?"_ she asked in a sarcastic, but playful tone.

Miyumi clenched her fangs even harder, but said nothing. Stellaluna smiled and nodded. _"Good, now I can explain why I've brought you here" _she murmured. Miyumi froze in shock. Stellaluna had brought her here? This could get interesting. . .

"_Can I ask why?"_

"_You see, my dear girl, a great evil is descending over Heaven and Earth" _

"_Oui. These demon attacks in Nippon are starting to get out of hand" _

"_It's not just Nippon, my girl. It's everywhere_ _from the mortal realm to the Celestial Plain to other Immortal Realms. I fear that, if we don't act quickly, everyone will either be killed or kept as slaves" _Stellaluna sighed with sadness.

Miyumi couldn't believe. Was there really something so dangerous happening? Stellaluna looked at her again, her eyes unreadable.

"_Tell me. . .do you know just who killed the Moon Tribe?" _

Miyumi shook her head,

"_Do you know who Akuro is?" _

Another shake.

"_. . .Do you know who the __**Yamato Clan**__ are?" _she asked again.

Miyumi shook her head, but her eyes widened. Stellaluna smiled and extended her hand. _"If you wish to find the answers to those questions, come with me"_ she said. The teenage hybrid took a step forward and continued to do so at a slow pace, which annoyed Stellaluna.

"_Hurry along now! You and I have much to cover, and very little time to do so!"_ she snapped. Miyumi quickened her pace and grabbed the woman's hand.

In an instant, the bright light returned and the two were teleported away. When Miyumi regained her senses, she realized that Stellaluna had placed her hands on her shoulders and that there were many loud, ear-bleeding sounds around them. She clenched her fangs again, not wanting to open her eyes.

"_Miyumi, my dear, open your eyes. Look at where we are"_ Stellaluna whispered in her ear. Slowly, the teenager opened her sky blue eyes and blinked. Then, her eyes went wide with horror.

She was witnessing the slaughter of the Moon Tribe.

Dead bodies were everywhere, blood covered the ground, but there were hundreds of members still alive, running for their lives. Miyumi covered her mouth and stared in shock and terror. Screams, growls, roars, and the clatter of weapons filled the air. She looked for the millions of demons as the army, but only saw 100 demons, and they weren't underlings of any sort.

They looked human, except their skin was slightly paler, their hair colors ranging around black, white, red, dark brown, green, and blue. Each member wore a different shade of a different color. What Miyumi noted that was most interesting about them, was that they all had red eyes, and they all wore the same style of gloves.

The material looked to be like leather and the tips of the fingers were razor-sharp looking. Each member wore a different color of gloves to match their clothes. Everyone one of them, male and female, was covered in blood from their victims.

"_Miyumi, look over there"_ Stellaluna whispered, pointing down into the alleyway they were above. The girl snapped her head down. She saw a woman who was being backed up against the wall. A figure moved closer to her, and each time they moved, the woman gasped in fear. Miyumi wanted to go down there and assist her, but the figure's voice triggered a thought inside her.

"_Awww, you humanoids look so cute when you're terrified. You should have seen this coming, this was your fate the moment you put our insignia on your buildings and clothes. I would just leave you be, since you are no threat to Father, but my brothers, sisters and I were ordered to destroy all of you, so you may not report this to the higher ups. . ."_ he snickered, venom filling his voice.

The woman shrunk back, her eyes wide with terror and fear. The figure pulled out a sword and raised it above his head. The woman shook her head and started to cry. _"No. . .No, please don't! I beg you! PLE-!"_ she shrieked before the figure slashed at her chest and plunged the weapon into her stomach. The poor girl fell to the ground, dead.

Miyumi suddenly recognized the voice of the figure. Her father had a recording of the same voice on the Ark's computer.

With eyes wide, she slowly turned to Stellaluna, starting to shake.

"_Is that. . .?"_ she asked, stopping there. Stellaluna nodded slowly.

"_Oui. That is Yami"_ she breathed. Miyumi turned back slowly to the figure. Now that he was out of the shadows, she could see his human form very well.

He had short black hair that went an inch past his ears, the ends were spiky, and there were crimson red highlights. His bangs covered his rights eye. He wore a black kimono and hakama that were cover with red patterns. His gloves stopped before his elbows. They too were black and covered in red markings. The tips that resembled claws were dagger-like.

'_So that's what Yami truly looks like'_ she paused, looking at Stellaluna over her shoulder, _'Why is she showing me this? What does it have to do with me?'_ she thought. Miyumi continued to watch, but was too horrified to keep her eyes on the scene for a second.

Finally, she had had enough. Se whipped around to face Stellaluna.

"_Get me out of here! I can't watch this anymore!"_ she shouted, tears starting to fall. Stellaluna smiled and nodded. She snapped her fingers and the two vanished.

* * *

><p>Miyumi opened her eyes to find herself in the black abyss she had arrived in. Stellaluna was before her, looking serious and rather annoyed. She sighed and opened her mouth to speak.<p>

"_I was hoping to show you more of that devastation, and give you more insides to the Clan and Akuro, but now that you know who is responsible for the deaths of the Tribe, maybe now we can solve the puzzle that has remained unfinished for centuries. . ." _she mumbled.

Miyumi nodded and urged her to say more.

"_You see, my dear girl, there is a reason I know you. I am your father's aunt, in other words, your great aunt. And you. . . are my reincarnation. It is important that you-" _

"_Stop" _Miyumi said firmly. Stellaluna looked up at her great niece. The girl was trembling. She looked ready to explode.

"_If all I've seen and heard is true, why didn't you present yourself to me and Chibi when our journey started and tell the both of us about this?" _

"_I have my reasons. For starters, Chibi hasn't shown any signs of having any Cosmic Energy inside his body" _

"_What's that?" _

"_Cosmic Energy is the power which my people were able to harness so that it could be used to energize their equipment, machines, and other devices. This power is also used by Lunar Mikos, which is what I am and what you are. The energy inside you hasn't fully awaken yet, but it should show up soon"_ she stated.

Miyumi nodded, but was still confused about everything she had seen. She was certain her great aunt would have the answers to her next questions.

"_Okay. Then who are the Yamato Clan exactly?" _

"_The Yamato Clan are a giant family of all-powerful demon overlords. The head of the family is Lord Yamato. No one knows his real name, not even his wife. He was once the first Emperor of Eternal Darkness, but he knew he was growing older, so, as a result, he had five heirs. Two girls and three boys: Akuro, Yami, Akuma, and the other two. I can't remember their names. Forgive me. Anyway, very little is known about the Clan, that includes their location and where they originally came from. But, from what I've gathered, they are planning a full assault on all the realms. I fear that if the Immortals don't act fast, the entire universe will cease to exist" _she said with fear.

Miyumi stared in horror. This couldn't be true. The Clan couldn't be real. It had to be nightmare. . .it just had to be. . .

The teenager brought her gaze back up. _"So, what about-Huh?"_ she asked. While she was thinking, Stellaluna had vanished. Miyumi looked around but, just like before, she didn't see a thing. She raced around, unsure of where she was running to.

She screamed for her great aunt, but all that came back was an echo. Suddenly, she eyes started to glow bright blue and she ducked her head down.

Images of the Yamato Clan flashed before her eyes They were all standing on a bare, bloody battlefield, looking at corpses. Spears, swords, and arrows were lodged in the ground, some of the arrows snapped in the gentle wind. Soon, the sound of hideous laughter came to her ears.

The Clan members were cackling evilly. Miyumi spotted Yami with his foot resting on two bodies. She had a good look at the victims before recognizing them.

Her parents.

Amaterasu was in her human form, on her back, a massive wound in her stomach, with blood leaking from her mouth. Waka, in turn, was on his right side, his arms around Amaterasu's shoulders, holding her close. He had a wound in his chest and blood trickled down his face. His head rested against Amaterasu's.

Miyumi covered her mouth and began to cry. She looked around some more and found Chibi's, Izanagi's, Susano's, Tsukiyomi's, Kuni's, Sakuya's, the brush gods', humans', and lots of Immortals' corpses. Miyumi dropped to her knees and began to sob.

Then, words formed in her head:

"_The dark Clan shall rise up and destroy each world, unless the five symbols are killed first. The bond between lovers shall prove useful in the fight"_

* * *

><p>"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Miyumi screamed as she snapped awake. Chibi woke suddenly, startled by his sister's outburst. Miyumi was breathing deeply, her eyes wide with terror. Chibi quickly got up and moved in front of his sister to look into her eyes. "Sissy, are you okay?" he asked, worried and frightened at the same time.<p>

Miyumi inhaled deeply, the images still fresh in her mind. Once she gathered herself, she stared at her brother. The hybrid wolf sighed in relief, knowing he was alive and whole.

Seeing him dead had been too. . .too. . ._painful_. She never wanted to see him like that. . .EVER! She loved him from the day he was born. In a way, he was her first love, or maybe that was her father. Either way, she loved them. _Both o_f them.

She sighed and tried to smile.

"I'm fine, Chibi. Go back to sleep" she whispered. Chibi shook his head.

"No! You're not fine, not at all! You won't be waking up, screaming your head off if you were! Please tell me what's wrong. I can't help if you don't talk"

"Chibi, I-"

"I wanna make it better! I can't sleep knowing something's wrong. I won't sleep! I WON'T!" he shouted, growling softly. Oh, why was his sister, who he loved dearly, being so uncooperative? He relaxed though, as his sister sighed once more.

She lifted her blue eyes to his golden ones, the only emotion in them was seriousness.

"You really wanna know?"

He nodded.

"OK. I had a dream, but it wasn't an ordinary dream. At first, I was in this area that was pitch black. I couldn't see a thing. I called out but no one heard me, and all that came back was my echo. . ."

* * *

><p>"No way! That's what killed the Moon Tribe. Papa always told me an army of demons killed them!" he exclaimed. Miyumi nodded slowly. She had told him everything.<p>

From their great aunt, to the slaughter of the Moon Tribe, to the Yamato Clan, and finally to the vision.

Chibi was very impressed. His sister had had a vision! Wait. . .if she had a vision, did that mean that she was a. . !

The young pup shot up and stared at her.

"Sissy, I think you're a. . .a. . ." he couldn't spit it out. Miyumi stared back.

"A Prophet?" she asked. Chibi nodded.

The she-wolf's eyes went wide. How many things was she? How much more was there to the vision? Oh, like that mattered at the moment. She groaned.

They'd sort this out later. Right now, they needed to get some sleep. Chibi curled up against his sister's side. Miyumi rested her head on her paws, she was just about to fall asleep, but then a thought occurred to her.

"Hey Chibi?"

"Yeah?"

"What have we gotten ourselves into?"

**That's wrap for now. Pretty sweet, huh? So, yeah. . .Miyumi's a Prophet and a Lunar Miko. There are gonna be more surprises along the way. You just wait! I would have had this posted yesterday, but I went to see Jeff Dunham perform alive and we didn't come back until almost one in the morning. Ugh! **

**Yuki's Guide to French Terms **

_**Parfait! Ceci caverne devoir fourir nous avec abri de le orage –Perfect! This should provide us with shelter from the storm. **_

**Yeah, only one. What are ya gonna do? Anyway, I have a favor to ask of you. I want Miyumi to be drawn, but I'm a better skilled writer than drawer. So if any of you have devainart accounts, can you please draw Miyumi? Either form is fine. If you want, you can draw her in her Moon Tribe form in her miko dress. **

**Anyway, that's pretty much it. Submit your answer to the trivia question in your review and I shall see you next chapter. Remember a few chapters ago, Miyumi said I had something planned? Well, I dropped a hint or two in this chapter. Can you figure it out? **

**Well, Review and Adieu! See ya soon!**


	9. The Great Actress! Mikos vs Demons?

**Oh my word! I can't believe I haven't updated in over a month! I'm so sorry you guys! You see, I've either been busy with school work, had no urge to write or just plain lazy. But I've had a part of this already written. I feel bad, I didn't abandon any of you!**

**Miyumi: Please forgive Yuki. **

**Chibi: *sweat drops* Yeah, please? **

**It's alright you two. Let's start. Oh, and please pay attention to the author's note ta the bottom. This is important for you to know, ALL of you! **

**Yuki's Trivia Question: In Okamiden, what is the name of the giant rabbit built by the Moon Tribe? **

_I don't give a d*** about my reputation!  
>Livin' in the past, it's a new generation.<br>A girl can do what she wants to do, and that's what I'm gonna do.  
>And I don't give a d*** about my bad reputation! <em>

-Bad Reputation by Avril Lavinge

Before leaving the cave, the two revived the Guardian Sapling, which, to their surprise, was right above their heads. Miyumi, having at least some strength, guided the water from each pool up to the cliff where the tree stood.

Using what little energy she had, the teen wolf managed to weave the magic of the Celestial Brush into the Sapling, thus restoring it to its former glory. The magic exploded from the tree and rushed over the land, bathing it with its newfound pureness. The animals returned, the sky was once again its magnificent, rich blue, the grass became a soft, lush green color, and the sea sparkled with the rays of the morning sun.

Upon seeing all this beauty, the children smiled. Chibi yipped happily.

"Yeah! We did it! Yes! We're so awesome! We're so awesome!" he sang.

Miyumi giggled, then yawned. Giving herself a shake, she rubbed her eye with a paw. Chibi took up his place beside her and smiled up at the sky.

'_Good morning, Mama!'_ he thought happily. He nudged his onee-chan. Miyumi looked down at him with sleepy eyes. "Wish we could sleep some more. I'm so tired" she whined. Her brother nodded and plopped down.

"Me too!" he yawned.

* * *

><p>They explored the Coast with curiosity, searching for hidden treasures, chasing small creatures and playing in the shallow waters of the pond at Ankoku Temple. While venturing around the area, the two did their absolute best to avoid demons. They were still recovering from their fight with Bullhead. And, to Miyumi's surprise, she started healing normally like every god should. The same happened to Chibi. It took them by surprise, but at least they were healing properly.<p>

Speaking, or rather listening to other people, the pups gained info about a mysterious case in Sei-an. It seemed that the demons had gained control over the city. This, they knew very well, had to be investigated. On their way there, the two looked out over the ocean, watching the ships.

One ship caught their attention. It was massive, much bigger than the others floating around it, and the old thing was near to the point of being on its side. The sails were tattered and crumbling in the delicate wind. But what was most captivating, was the eerie presence drifting from the ship wreck, across the water, and through the pups' bodies.

Chibi stared at it, the aura traveling through is veins and bones. Though the presence was very old, it seemed very new. He couldn't quite place it, but he felt as if the darkness was coming, not from the boat, but from somewhere nearby.

He moved his head in the direction of the city, staring hard. The aura was coming from Sei-an. He looked at Miyumi. She could sense it too.

Their presence was needed in the city. She turned to her brother.

"Ready?"

Chibi looked up.

"Yeah!"

And the two raced to the entrance and darted through the gate.

* * *

><p>Inside the walls of Sei-an, it was as silent as a corpse. The sky was a dark blue, with no clouds in sight. The streets were deserted, some garbage blew across the pathways, and low growls could be heard.<p>

The city's torches were burning bright in the dark. Though Miyumi was grateful for the beacons, she saw several shadows swish past the flames. They took her by surprise. There was rustling in the trees and large chunks of half-eaten fruit and animal meat tumbled downward.

Obviously demons were sitting in the trees, keeping watch for any intruders.

Miyumi bent her head down to Chibi's ear. "Let's have a look around" she whispered. Chibi nodded. The two searched the city for any humans, but found none. What they did manage to find, were a bunch of demons, old, chewed up food, and large amounts of demonic energy.

Completing their search of the Commoners' Quarters, the pups decided to have a look at the next part of town.

Upon crossing the small bridge, they heard some sounds.

"Hey, Lookie! It's a human!" one evil-sounding voice growled.

"Let's torture her, then cook her, then eat her up!" another voice cackled.

Miyumi snarled. Demons. It took the two only a second to notice the two red imps bouncing happily in front of a terrified young girl, who also seemed to be fighting back. She was lashing her fist out at them, despite the fact they weren't close enough for her to hit them.

"Y-you stay back!" she shouted. The imps laughed.

"Yeah, not gonna happen, toots!" one of them snickered. The pups looked at one another before racing in between them.

The monsters leapt in surprise. The girl looked startled as well.

"Leave her alone, you bakas!" Miyumi and Chibi snarled. Soon, the fighting began. The wolves crushed the skulls of the imps, killing them quickly. And the battle ended as quickly as it began.

Miyumi shook herself, as did Chibi. Unknowingly to wolves, the girl who had been cowering before the demons, got up, dusted off her dress, and stared at them.

"Hey, you two!" she shouted. Her voice got their attention and the two looked behind them. There was the girl. She looked to be ten years old. Her hair was black, of course, and pulled into a neat bun and tied with a nice, flowery hair decoration. Her dress was pink mixed with plant green and orange. Her skin was pale and she wore red eye shadow and pink blush. Her eyes were brown.

Miyumi was jealous. The girl was very pretty. _'I need to spend more time on my hair and makeup'_ she thought, making a mental note.

Meanwhile, the girl was getting impatient.

"If you're going to save me, then get over here and do it! Were you scared? Is that why you hesitated?" she asked, snapping.

No answer.

'_How insulting!'_ she thought, gracefully walking up to the two. As she got closer, she noticed that the pups had strange red markings covering their bodies. "Hmm?" she asked, looking in wonder. She stared into their golden and sky blue eyes.

"Those are some pretty gaudy markings you two have there," she murmured, placing her hands on the bigger pup's face, then the smaller ones. She found that the older one was very beautiful, so beautiful in fact that it made her scream jealously.

The girl went to examined them closely. ". . .I guess the other dogs all pick on the both of you for being different" she said softly. The wolves pulled away from her.

"No one picks on us. If they did, they'd be sorry in five seconds" Miyumi hissed. Chibi yipped in agreement.

The girl huffed. "No? Well, good for you, then. Now, take me to the playhouse!" she snapped.

It took Chibi a second to figure out what she had said. "Wait?. . .What?" he asked, a little shocked. Couldn't this girl carry her own body weight? Miyumi stepped in.

"No offense, but why should we? We don't even know-" she was cut off by the child.

She looked kinda ticked. "You're not going to tell me you don't know who I am, are you? Have you two been living in a cave?" she shouted. Chibi nodded. Miyumi did an anime fall with a thud!

The girl snorted and flipped her bangs from her eyes.

"I'm Kagu, and I'm the most popular child actor in the land!" she declared.

Miyumi picked herself up off the stone pathway. "That's nice" she growled, not caring either way. Kagu rolled her eyes.

"If I tell you two to jump, you ask how high in mid-air!" she stated. Chibi finished scratching his ear and yawned.

"Whatever" he mumbled.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah" Miyumi replied.

Kagu started to fume and stamp her feet.

"Oh, no! Don't give me those looks!" she paused for moment to straighten her posture, "Take me to the theater and I'll give the two of you some comp tickets. That's a pretty sweet deal, right?" she asked, winking and smiling.

To her disbelief, however, Chibi had curled up and was fast asleep. Miyumi, on the other note, was painting a picture of her sleeping brother. Kagu began stomping again, even more irritated than before. She was near to the point of screaming and hitting the two.

"Come on! I overslept, and Father will kill me if I'm late!" she shouted angrily. Chibi woke up as she was talking. "Just let me hop on one of your backs!"

Miyumi sighed and rolled up her painting, which was dry thanks to her blowing on it. After stuffing it in their bag, she looked at Chibi. The young pup knew already that she wanted him to carry the spoiled brat.

He also knew that her back was hurting from their many battles. He sighed, got ahold of Kagu and threw her onto is back. The trio did Team Up! pose. Kagu smiled and started to pat their heads.

"Thanks. Now, what was so hard about that? How about I give you two names as a reward?" she asked.

Her replies were some nods and shrugs. She smiled.

"Let's see," she said, focusing on Chibi, "you're a little dog, so I'll call you Pooch. Sound good?" she asked. As usual, Chibi was shocked out of his mind. Well, more or less. It wasn't as bad as Squiddy, maybe less. And, to his delight, Miyumi didn't burst out laughing. She only let out a sigh.

Kagu ignored Pooch's reaction and turned to Miyumi. "Ok, let's see. . .you're a very pretty wolf, so you deserve a pretty name. . . .Hmmm. I got it! I'll call you Asa! You know, cause you're as pretty as a sunrise!" she stated.

Miyumi pondered her newest nickname. Asa. . .it meant "morning" in Japanese, so it fit her perfectly. She grinned, showing her fangs. Giving a bark of approval, she tapped her paws. Kagu straightened herself upward, balancing on Chibi's back.

"OK, Pooch, Asa! Take me to the playhouse!" she shouted. The wolves sprinted forward.

When the trio reached a certain building, Kagu ordered them to halt, and got off of Chibi. She stared at the building and was about to enter, when she heard a certain she-wolf make an "Uhhh" noise. The young girl turned to her new friend.

"What is it, Asa?" she asked. Miyumi nodded towards the sign on the building. Kagu followed her gaze and looked at it hard. She was shocked at what she saw. "What the heck is this? The playhouse is called "Purgatory" now? And the door's locked, too. Great. . ." she said sarcastically.

The actress twirled around on her toes to her canines.

"Listen up, Pooch! You as well, Asa! We're going to use the rear entrance!" she stated.

"Sure Kagu!" Chibi yipped.

Miyumi nodded slowly. The three proceeded behind the playhouse, but found the back way in locked up tight.

After saving a young girl and with the help of Raiden, a thunder spirit, the trio was able to find a hidden bridge linked to the playhouse. They crossed it with ease and went straight for the door, only to find it smashed. With a little magic from the Brush, it was fixed within seconds and the trio headed inside.

* * *

><p>Upon entering the building, the pups felt strong auras wash over them. It sent chills up and down their spines, it was so horrible. Kagu explained where in the playhouse they were. She also said that something was started bothering her when they first came in and that they should find everyone as soon as possible.<p>

Miyumi asked for directions, which Kagu was happy to give. The three soon found themselves in a room by the theater's entrance. Kagu got off of Chibi and went in, calling for the pups to follow her.

The pups did so, entering a small room which resembled an office. There was a desk against the wall with a brush and some ink. Two cushions were in front of it and on the other side of the room was a mirror and a doorway to another part of the theater.

Miyumi took a step forward, watching for any signs of movement. She turned to look at the actress.

"Kagu, who's work area is this?" she asked. Chibi was wondering the same thing. Kagu shifted from one foot to the other and back again.

"This is my father's room," she explained. The girl waltzed up to the desk, talking as she went, "He's the head of our troupe, and that makes him the boss" she stopped right in front of the desk and looked around. The pups carefully came up behind her as she spoke.

"You know, I don't see my mother around, either. . ." her voice trailed away with some kind of emotions. Miyumi couldn't quite place it, but she was certain they were worry and fear. The she-wolf's attention was drawn to a slip of paper on the desk.

She looked at it and gave the sheet a sniff. The ink was still fresh, indicating it was written not too long ago. She pressed her nose against Kagu's shoulder, getting her attention. "Something wrong?" she asked. Miyumi nodded her head towards the sheet. Kagu looked at it with surprise.

"Hm? There's a letter here. I'll read it to you:

_Dearest Kagu, _

_There's nothing that can be done for the theater. You must escape while you can. _

_Your father, Tsuruya _

This is Father's writing. . .But he's mistaken. . ." she paused to flip her hair back, as she always did, "He should know I won't run away just because he tells me too," she turned to her canines, "Come on, Pooch, Asa! We need to find Father!" she shouted.

The two let out a yawn. Miyumi swiped a paw across her muzzle. Unfortunately, Kagu didn't approve of this behavior.

"You're both going to help me and that's the end of it!" she screamed, stomping and waving her fists around like crazy. Chibi snapped from laziness, sweat dropped from disbelief, and nodded quickly.

Kagu's mood lightened and she smiled. Miyumi sweat dropped too.

Unbelievable.

Kagu, once again, fixed her posture, placing her hand on her hip. "Thank you! I knew you would see things my way!" she said, full of cheer.

Chibi dropped his head and sighed. "Yeesh. . .What's wrong with this girl?" he asked, under his breath of course. After sorting out the details with Miyumi, Kagu ordered them to go into the back room. They came to the main room of the theater, which was obviously a stage with many cushions of multiple colors before it.

The actress directed Chibi to the door next to the curtain in a rather polite way. From the other side of the curtain, Miyumi felt, not just one powerful demon aura, but two.

'_That figures. There's no way in this world or the next that a small group of underlings could take control of an entire city by themselves. Only extremely strong and dangerous demons can do this. And furthermore, they certainly can't pull this off alone. My guess. . .there's more than one demon in charge here'_ she thought quietly.

While she was lost in thought, Chibi and Kagu had begun searching for anything suspicious. Miyumi checked near a pile of props, only to have a fake sword fall on her. "Ow" she said whimpered plainly. Kagu called to her from the other side of the stage.

"Asa! Stop goofing around and come here!" she ordered. The she-wolf groaned, but trotted to her "mistress", if you wanna put it like that. While she hated the idea of being a servant to a child younger than herself, she was devoted to help anyone who was in trouble.

Kagu certainly is no exception, since her troubles possibly involved demons and the fact that the city was completely deserted, not a soul to be found anywhere. This was definitely going to be quite an interesting mission of theirs.

Chibi looked at Kagu. "We don't know much about theatrical stuff. Can you please explain some things to us, Mistress?" he whined, with a hint of sarcasm. Kagu stiffened, but remained calm. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed her muscles and began speaking.

"First, do NOT call me "Mistress". Miss Kagu will do just fine. Now, for the theater explanation. The audience sits on the other side of this curtain. And back here, behind the scenes, we set up the stage, put on costumes and make up, and then we take our places before the curtain pulls out" she explained.

The pups nodded. Chibi looked at the curtain with its colorful pattern and Miyumi watched Kagu walk to a pile of unfinished props. There, a small tick formed on her head.

"Hmmm? Oh, come on! Why is the revolving stage facing the wrong way? It's the front of the set that's supposed to face the audience" she growled. Miyumi approached the young girl, standing beside the child and staring at the prop-covered stage. Wasn't it like this when they weren't working?

As she was lost in thought, a sudden acidy scent hit the she-wolf's nose. Cautiously, Miyumi moved closer and gave the props a good, long sniff. The smell of demons was extremely noticed able among the scents of paint and wood shavings.

As she back up, a noise from above reached her ears. Again, a demon scent came into her nostrils. The she-wolf for Chibi and Kagu to stay near her. Kagu placed a hand on the older wolf's shoulder.

"What's the matter, Asa?" she asked. Miyumi didn't turn her head, but glanced at the girl and whispered quietly. She didn't want the demons knowing that their prey was aware of their presence. If they did, they would run off. She couldn't allow that!

"Listen to me very carefully, the both of you. Right above our heads are some demons. They're watching us as we speak. Be prepared. . .they're going to come down on us in 3. . .2. . .1. . .!" she hissed.

And sure enough, as soon as she hit one, a small group of demons came down on them. Chibi hadn't been listening, so he was surprised. Kagu looked up, shocked that Asa's prediction had been right on the mark. Silently, she put her hands together and a barrier made of pure electricity formed around the trio. The demons were stopped by it and shoved back, getting up quickly.

Miyumi realized right away that one of them was a human. He seemed to be possessed because both wolves felt a dark aura radiating from within his body. Chibi backed up to his onee-sama's side.

"Sissy, he-!"

"I know. . ." Miyumi stated calmly. Beside, Kagu started jumping and waving her fists in the air. Chibi sighed. _'Here we go again. . .'_

The young actress glared at her dogs.

"Come on, Pooch, Asa! Get a move on!" It's your job to get rid of all the demons!" she hissed, fuming. Miyumi sweated dropped and growled.

"Alright! Alright! Keep your make up on! We're on it!" she barked. The pups lowered their bodies in attack crouches and barred their fangs. The demons smirked and launched themselves at the pups. As usually, Miyumi took one while Chibi took the other.

The smaller pup dealt several blows to his opponent, getting minor scratches from the creature, who was fighting back by biting the little pup. Kagu used her fans and whip to stun the demon so Chibi could slice him open. Using the Bloom Technique, he planted a small Cherry Bomb inside the pest's mouth. Taken by surprise, the clam-like demon began running in circles, trying desperately to spit out the bomb.

Unfortunately, the bomb went off and the demon split in half, his blood covered the ground. In return, he left behind some demon skin, causally picked up by Chibi. Miyumi went through the same with her demon, but this time she did not feel the burning rage she had felt so many times before.

"_That's it Miyumi. . .control the burning anger that resides within. . .the anger that has been with you since birth"_ Stellaluna's enchanting voice called in the back off her head. The she-wolf did not stop upon hearing the sound, only to think. What had her great aunt meant by that? Well, whatever she meant, it wasn't her concern at the moment.

Once the demons were gone, the three found themselves back on stage. Now, the only thing the pups were thinking, was how the heck Kagu managed by conjure an electric barrier. She was definitely not a normal human being. In fact, back to when they were helping that little girl, Kagu had looked down at her feet after hearing the words "not normal".

At the time, the two didn't understand, but they knew now. The only thing was. . .they weren't sure which magical being she might be. An enchantress? A witch? A miko? Well, whatever she was, Chibi was certain they'd find out soon. In the meantime, they simply stared directly into Kagu's tired facial expression.

When the ten year old noticed both wolves staring at her, she looked at them with an uncertain and worried expression.

". . .Wh-what are you two looking at?" she stuttered with a sweat drop. The pups remained silent and continued staring. While the both of them knew it was rude to stare, they couldn't help it. It surprised them even more when Kagu began sweating and flipped her bangs back nervously. "I-I didn't see any electricity just now! Did you?" she asked, still spluttering her words.

Still the dogs stared at her, studying her face. Kagu wiped away a lot of sweat and fixed her posture.

"I'm just like everyone else. Nothing strange here!" she shouted, not sweating as much.

Chibi tilted his head slightly. "Yeah. . .I'm not too sure about that, Miss Kagu" he said oddly. Kagu sweat dropped again. She had no get them to stop looking at her. It made her very uncomfortable. She had to make haste. ". . .Just forget everything you saw here! Everything! You two hear me?" she asked, shouting angrily while thrashing around.

It was time to teach them a lesson. Surprising both pups, she stomped up to them and grabbed their faces. "This is what'll happen if you dare tell anyone!" she screamed. Holding one muzzle in each hand, she shook their heads from side-to-side.

Soon enough, the room was spinning for the poor canines. Kagu let go, allowing their heads to spin counterclockwise.

"Are we clear on this?" she demanded. Both wolves sweat dropped while nodding quickly. The girl smiled and tossed her hair back. "Good, now let's go find my father" she said happily. Both pups groaned, but followed the strange girl nonetheless.

They met up with a stagehand, the same man who was possessed earlier but was now free from demonic control. He explain that some "odd" demons had taken control of the playhouse and that these specific demons believed themselves to be actors. Kagu got an idea from this, which was to set up the stage in hopes that maybe these so called "demon actors" might come out. The stagehand explained that they would have to rotate the stage the right way.

He led them to the basement, where a giant crank was sitting smack dab in the center of the room. It was huge and towered over the group. Miyumi studied the contraption with curiosity. It had four handles, possibly meaning that more than one person would be needed to operate it.

Just as the group neared it, a giant wooden gear fell from the ceiling, crashing down onto the foursome. Kagu reacted quickly.

"Look out!" she shouted to the stagehand. The man cowered and covered his head. He was certain he was going to die. "Ahhh! Help m-me!" he cried. He believed the gear would crash him at any moment, but it never came down. Sweating like crazy, he looked up. What he saw. . .was extremely surprising.

A barrier made of electricity came up above Kagu, stopping the gear. He had no idea what was happening, but it seemed that Kagu had something to do with it. Said girl was huffing and sweating, it obvious she wouldn't be able to hold up the gear much longer.

"This. . .thing. . .is. . .a little heavy. . ." she whimpered in pain. Chibi yipped in panic.

"Kagu!"

The young actress forced more power into the barrier, growing weaker in the process.

"I. . .I can't. . .hold it. . .Someone. . .Anyone. . ." she begged. The pups looked at each other and then headed for the crank. Kagu heaved even more, her sweat leaking into her brown eyes, blurring her vision. It was too much, way too much. If she kept this up, the gear would fall and crush her or she would drain her life force trying to maintain te uncomfortable position. Either way, she would die.

The girl did not look up, but noticed that her dogs were no longer beside her.

". . .I need. . .your help. . .I can't. . .hold it. . ." she whined and the barrier grew weaker and weaker, until it was barely supporting the gear at all. In a matter of moments, it would give away and the gear would crush her. Her life was hanging by a thread.

The only ones who could possibly save her were the wolves.

". . .Asa. . .Pooch. . .Help me. . ." she whispered. Suddenly, she heard Miyumi's voice.

"As you wish it, so shall it be!" the she-wolf said happily. She and Chibi slammed into the gear, sending it backwards and off the platform. Kagu feel to her kneels, sweating and gasping for breath. Concerned for their friend, the wolves hurried to her. "Kagu, are you alright?" Chibi asked.

Kagu felt exhaustion leave her and be replaced by a new emotion.

Anger.

And it was boiling! ". . .Asa. . .Pooch. . .You. . .IDIOTS!" she screamed, springing back to life and thrashing again. Both pups were taken by surprise.

"WHAT?" they shouted together. Kagu straightened herself, but was still fuming.

"When someone asks you two for help, the both of you don't just sit there! You're both waiting till the last second to help!" she screamed. Miyumi looked away, she expression, pure annoyance. _'Oh good grief. . .'_ she thought.

Meanwhile, the stagehand was feeling uneasy and nervous at the same time. He knew what he saw and wanted to ask, but he was afraid of what Kagu might do. He would have to be brave. "Miss Kagu. . .Did you just. . . ?" he started to ask, but Kagu stopped him.

She couldn't let anyone know she was different.

"No! You didn't see anything! Got it? If you tell anyone, this is what'll happen to you!" she screamed, stamping her foot. Without hesitation, she grabbed the man by his waist and shook him hard and continued to do so even when dizziness came over him.

Miyumi sighed. Kagu was like her cousins. . .a handful, or in her current case. . .a pawful. Not being able to take this "abuse" much more, the stagehand spoke up.

"O-O-OK, ma'am! I can't even remember my own name now!" he whined. Satisfied, the actress released him. "Good, keep it that way! Now tell me how to move the set" she ordered. The man did not deny her and led the trio to the crank. "This device turns the set. It's on a big cogwheel" he explained.

Miyumi yawned. Chibi sat beside her. Kagu remained mild on the subject.

"Ok. So, go on and turn it" she ordered. The man stared in shock. She was kidding right? There was no way in Heaven or Earth he could possibly move such a device by himself. It was freaking heavy! "B-But how? It's a heavy piece of machinery. Plus it takes four people and I'm here by myself. . ." he said, sweating nervously. Making Kagu any angrier than she already was, was one thing that everyone tried to avoid.

Kagu's expression grew serious. "OK, enough with the excuses. Wait here and I'll find some help! I'll be back soon!" she stated. With a hand gesture to her dogs, Kagu walked proudly out of the room, leaving the stagehand a little upset. They could have at least attempted to help him turn the darn device!

Honestly, even though Kagu was one of s bosses and he had much respect for her, she could be such a brat sometimes. But would he ever tell her that? Heck no! Saying something like that to her face was like confronting the school bully.

Not something to be attempted. Well, after leaving the control room, Kagu and her canines set out to find the other stagehands, along with anyone else who was being held captive by the demons. Much to Miyumi and Chibi's dislike, there were traps laid out and several exits were blocked off.

Invisible bridges weren't a risk and Miyumi wasn't nervous since the trio could see them. As they moved, Miyumi began to notice quite a creative pattern in the traps and puzzles. They weren't that hard to figure out.

She remembered her mother telling them about the traps and security measures Ninetails had taken to prevent entrance to her castle. This, however, was nothing compared to the well-detailed layout description of the fox wench's castle as told by her mother.

Ninetails had hired vicious demons such as Ogres, Blockade Spiders, Blockhead Guards, Lightning demons, and many other creatures. She even had extremely expensive laser shooting, saw spinning, and pits of dagger-sharp spikes death traps installed. Miyumi didn't find it hard to believe Ninetails could afford such traps. She was, after all, of high ranking in Yami's army and had, what Chibi called, an "off-the-charts" paycheck.

Lava, saws, lasers, spikes, spiders, demons. . .you name it, she had it. Well, this security system appeared to be of mild cost and built by amateurs. The she-wolf gave a low chuckle. This would be _**so**_ easy. They crossed each room without too many problems. Kagu pointed out a few inventions created by the troupe that were convenient and very helpful to the pups.

Such devices allowed them to activate moving platforms, make hidden walk ways appear, and temporarily shut down traps. When they found the stagehands, the three discovered that, like the one they left in the control, was being controlled by a demon. And each one wasn't alone.

Kagu found each time they found a possessed staff worker, her frustration grew. While her dogs did most of the work, she occasionally lashed out with her whip and threw her fans at the meddling creatures. It wasn't too difficult to kill the monsters, since they were very pathetic with their strategies, as she had heard Asa put it.

Eventually, they found all the stagehands and exorcised them of their controllers. All that was left was to find the audience and rotate the stage. Upon entering a room, someone or something locked the door behind them. In that very room, they found a phoenix statue with a constellation.

It was revealed to be none other than Moegami, the god of fire. The two pups were ecstatic about seeing another one of their relatives. The fire bird was pleased to see them as well.

"So. . .this is where you two ran off to, no? I'm certain you're aware of this, but your mother has been sobbing her eyes out for days now, concerned for you" the god scolded.

The pups ducked their heads in shame. They should have told someone where they were going before jumping off the island. Chibi brought his head up to meet his uncle's burning gaze. "Oji-san, we-" but he was cut off.

Moegami did some acrobatics while talking. "I haven't the time for your excuses. You shall receive what you came for. Masato, give your cousins their new ability!" he ordered, throwing his pipe high in the air. A tiny phoenix flew, trying his best to hold the heavy pipe, but it was dragging him down. He heard his father sigh and was startled when he snatched it away.

His startled expression relaxed and turned into joy upon seeing his cousins.

"Mimi! Chibi! It's so good to see you two again! Okay, I better get started before Dad yells at me. Ahem!" the small bird said, clearing his throat:

"_O Children of the Great Sun, I am the Young Moegami. I am the heir to the bearers of the ancient flame. Biding my time, I have resided in this statue awaiting your return. Now I bestow upon the both of you the power to banish evil. The power of Inferno is now yours!" _

With a graceful spin, Masato handed over the technique to his beloved cousins. As the technique entered their bodies, the pups felt the radiant warmth of the flames. It soothed them, but a growl from their uncle made them stiffen. "Well, I'll be taking you two home now" he squawked.

The wolves froze where they stood. That is, until Miyumi's anger came back.

"Y-you can't do this to us!" she screamed. Chibi backed away from his onee-chan. She was really upset. Moegami stared at his niece and narrowed his eyes.

"Hai, I can. You are coming home and that is that. Your parents are worried and I'm certain you'll be punished to the fullest extent for leaving the Plain without permission. Besides, you two aren't ready for battling a demon overlord. It's far too dangerous. You could have been killed" the god snarled.

Chibi cautiously approached his uncle.

"But Oji-san, we killed many demons. . .that includes two high ranking ones. Doesn't that prove that we're-" but again, his uncle cut him off.

"The only thing that proves is that you both got lucky. Sooner or later, your luck will run out and the next thing you know, you'll be lying in a pool of your own blood, dying because of your foolishness. What is it that the two of you are trying to prove? That even _you're_ ready for this? That you can handle these monsters? If that is the case, then you two are completely-"

"SHUT UP!" Miyumi screamed, cutting him off. Moegami stared in shock and anger.

"What did you say to me, young lady?" he asked, a menacing undertone in his voice. Miyumi lifted her head, tears streaming down her face.

"You didn't sense the darkness. You didn't feel its power. You didn't do a thing. Chibi and I have been doing yours, Mama's and everyone else's job! You should at least try to encourage us and have more faith in us. You dare call yourself our uncle? If you truly cared, you'd support us. But, I guess family isn't as nice as I had thought" she hissed.

She turned to Chibi, who looked at her tear-filled eyes.

"Come on, Chibi. . .we're leaving. . ." she turned around and walked away, Chibi hopped after her. Behind them, Moegami was screaming.

"OKAMI MIYUMITERASU! OKAMI CHIBITERASU! GET BACK HERE NOW OR I'LL-" the pups had crossed the gate into the mortal world, leaving behind their outraged uncle. Kagu had seen their faces and asked if they were alright. Miyumi said they were just fine and that they should head back to the control room.

When they got back, Kagu gave the order for the stagehands to turn the cogwheel. When she was sure the stage was facing the right way, Kagu led her dogs up stairs.

When they got there, however, the demons didn't come out. This confused Kagu as well as the wolves. Then, a stagehand came up from the basement, informing his boss that the demons had kidnapped their customers. So, the three went off to the dressing room, as told by the man, to rescue the trapped people.

The demons hadn't truly harmed them, but one demon locked an actress in a toilet, which made Miyumi feel sick. They managed to free her, along with some more people in the next room over. One of the customers, a miko, was being held hostage as well. The trio didn't take long to shred the monsters and collected their earnings.

Once finished, the three went to check on the miko.

"Ohhh. . .What happened to me?" she asked, feeling dizzy. Chibi stared at her face. She was very _very _beautiful. He sudden found himself with his mouth slightly open, drooling. Kagu glowered at this disgusting behavior.

Miyumi sighed in an "Oh my word" kind of way. "Chibi close your mouth, you're gonna get some bugs" she said plainly.

"Stop drooling, Pooch! Do you have any idea who she is? This is Miko Cho from Himiko Shrine—the leader of all the Miko! She protects the city now that Queen Himiko is gone" she screamed. Miyumi sighed in aggravation.

"Alright. Alright! Will ya calm down? I've already had enough headaches today, thank you!" she growled. Chibi looked at the young actress. "Oops! Sorry Kagu!" he apologized.

The trio turned to the leader miko. Kagu found it very impressive that demons had managed to abduct Miko Cho. She was the most powerful of all the miko in Nippon, she was the leader after all.

"Those demons must have been pretty powerful if they were able to kidnap you. . ." she started. Miko Cho's expression turned worried and she sweated nervously.

"I was looking forward to taking in a play. I wasn't paying attention and they stole my Miko powers from me" she explained. She felt very embarrassed at the moment. She was an important leader to Nippon, meaning she was responsible for every measure taken. Having her powers taken from her while she was distracted was quite humiliating.

She sighed. How could she call herself a Miko if she made herself so venerable to such absurd creatures? Kagu could see her embarrassment and knew what she had to do.

"Then it's up to me to do something. Please find a safe place to hide. I'll get rid of every last one of those nasty demons" she said with determination.

This, Miko Cho was unsure of. Kagu was still a young girl and she had no interest in becoming a miko. In fact, she rejected her powers and vowed to be as normal as any human being could possibly be. "but Kagu. . .You. . ." she began, uncertain of what to say.

The actress did not want to accept who and what she truly was. So, as a result, she chose to block it out, keep it as far away as possible, not letting it affect her life. She was afraid of what others might think of her as and that's what made her reject her powers.

Kagu spoke up quietly. "Father, Mother. . .It's just such a joy for me to perform with everyone here, so. . ." her voice lost its willpower and faded.

Miko Cho gave an uneasy look. "This won't be easy. . ."

"No, but I have to save everyone. By myself. . ." she whispered.

"Kagu?" Miyumi asked, worriedly. What was the matter with her new friend?

While the she-wolf stared, Miko Cho gave Kagu's statement a lot of thought. She knew the risk of taking on demons as powerful as the two who had taken over the city was dangerous. It could get the girl killed. Yet. . .she was so determined to save the ones she loved. If she allowed the girl to fight, she might never come back alive. Her powers hadn't been perfected yet and there was no time for training.

She sighed, making up her mind. "Very well. Then I want you to have this" she said, holding out a white and red miko garb. Kagu stared in shock and delight. "It's. . .a Miko Dress" she breathed.

Miko Cho smiled. "Just in case you need it" she said. Kagu took the precious garb from the Head Miko and held it gently in her arms, as a mother would a baby. ". . .Thank you, Miko Cho. I'll take good care of it" she whispered.

Kagu slipped the dress into their bag so they wouldn't lose it and the trio hurried off to the stage. Once inside the main room, the curtain flew back, revealing the tree background. The trio climbed up onto the stage and waited cautiously.

The sound of gears turning got their attention and Kagu glared.

"There! I found you!" she hissed.

"Come out, come out where ever you are!" Chibi barked.

"Stop hiding and come out, you cowards!" Miyumi snarled.

A trap door opened from under the stage and a crane flew out with a sprinkle of confetti. Miyumi didn't find her attractive, but liked her outfit.

The bird gave a weird pose and narrowed his eyes at the children before him. "Even in my former life I was never brought to anger like I am now. I could have absorbed the souls of thousands from this stage. I would have had my finest performance but for your interference! You have earned Sen's eternal wrath for your interpolation here!" he screamed.

The trio sweat dropped. ". . .Drama!" they said together. Then, the set began to turn, revealing a huge, yet odd-looking puppet. Once it was completely out, Sen wasted no time and flew into the puppet's head. From inside, he activated the puppet and it sprang to life.

Miyumi took a few steps forward. "You know, for a female demon, you have quite good taste in clothes" she said, hissing slightly. Sen said nothing and there was a smacking sound from inside the puppet. Chibi sweat dropped.

"Uh, Sissy. . .he's a guy" he mumbled.

Miyumi looked at him oddly. "That creep with good taste in clothes is a dude?" she asked. Sen growled and made the puppet slam its hand down. Miyumi dodged it just in time though.

The fight had begun. . .and to the trio's surprise, it was so easy. The puppet burned as if it was made of rice paper. When they managed to disable it, Kagu used a little of her power to destroy it. Sen came out, looking very dizzy. He collapsed suddenly, burning up in purple flames.

Just when the group thought it was over, a turtle popped out from underneath the stage with a cloud of confetti surrounding him. Kagu was shocked, not mention the wolves.

"Oh, no, there's another one?" she asked, lashing out with her fists.

The turtle smirked. "I am the world's foremost thespian. I am the great Ryo! You may have defeated my partner, but you will not best me! You will feel the pain of our wrath combined!" he shouted. Again, the stage turned, revealing another puppet. Ryo hoped inside and started it up.

"We've done nothing but fight since we came to Nippon. I could use a break!" Miyumi growled, lowering her body to the floor. Ryo began by throwing wooden gears at the three, then blew tornados in their direction. Chibi got caught up in one and was unable to free himself.

As a result, he was thrown half way across the stage. That ticked Miyumi off. Using Inferno, she burned the palms of the puppet's hands, temporarily shutting it down. The puppet's weak points were revealed, but incased in ice.

With Kagu's order, the immortal wolves melted the icy covers, allowing access to the weak points. Kagu's power hit the spots, draining it of its energy by tenfold. Ryo was enraged and swiped Kagu from Chibi's back, putting her on his toy's shoulder.

"You have a lot of nerve, stealing our friend like that!" Chibi yipped. Miyumi swished her tail in front of him.

"Quiet Chibi. He's just scared, that's all. Well, no matter. We can still beat up his precious toy!" she sneered. The two split up, moving to opposite sides of the stage. Ryo had a hard time watching the two. Even with his puppet as a shield, he still had to be careful.

Every attack he threw at them, seemed to bounce back. The wooden wheels were sliced with Power Slash, sending them into his puppet's face. Attempts at tornados were slightly pleasing, at least he was able to spin the smaller pup off his toes. The older wolf attacked the hands with fire, burning them.

Again his puppet was shut down, but he was satisfied knowing that the fleabags couldn't reach their mistress. Rebooting the robot, Ryo shot webs at the older wolf. He managed to trap her, then used a hand to crush her. She lay paralyzed on the floor for a moment or so, before getting to her paws.

She Cherry Bombed the puppet's hand, causing it to fall over and nearly bend in half. Chibi retrieved Kagu and the trio continued as usual. Ryo tried to steal back the girl, but Miyumi prevented that by taking the blows. Ryo smirked.

Was the wolf determined to die? He could see faint scars, burns, and other battle wounds on her white pelt. Obviously she had been through much. Perhaps it would be easier to knock her down and continue the blows? With that, she would die and he could finish off the other with ease.

No such luck.

While lost in deep thought, the three had burned the puppet, making it collapse. The turtle demon tried to reboot it quickly, but the children had already found its weak points again, this time seriously injuring Ryo.

Feeling weak, the demon crawled out of the machine and faced his opponents. He could barely stand and felt as if he were about to collapse. Which he did.

The stage began to rotate and the trio had braced themselves for another fight. When they saw the trees, Kagu let out a sigh of relief. Placing a hand on her hip, she spoke.

"Did we win?" she asked. Her companions remained silent. The place was quiet, a little too quiet for Miyumi's liking.

Chibi looked around, then grinned. "I guess we did. Well, we're done. Who wants to go get something sweet to celebrate?" he asked, turning to leave. Miyumi clamped a paw down on his tail and dragged him back.

Kagu looked at the she-wolf with confusion. "Asa?" she asked worriedly.

Miyumi kept her eyes fixed on the stage.

"We're not done yet. . ." she whispered, "They're not done with us yet. . ."

Her friends looked at her, faces full of confusion. Then, the voices of Sen and Ryo broke the silence, startling Kagu.

"The wolf speaks the truth! No, you are far from winning, you little brats!" they screamed. Once again, the stage began turning, revealing yet another puppet. This one was highly well made, in the trio's opinion.

Bursting from the floor, the terrible duo appeared, spinning gracefully.

"In fact. . ." they began, "You now must face our combined might!" That said, the two started up their toy. The machine was still, but its left eye burned red. It jerked, rearing back its head, and fired a red-orange laser, pushing brutally on the children.

They tried to hold their ground as best they could, but flew back, almost falling off the stage. Kagu sat up weakly, while Chibi and Miyumi panted heavily. The child actress looked up at the towering puppet with uneasiness. "Uhh. . .I barely survived them one at a time. . .I don't think I could face them both at once. . ." she breathed.

Miyumi growled at her. "Talking like that makes them believe you're weak. . .and I am a being. . .who hates feeling weak. . ." The she-wolf struggled to stand, but much of her energy was gone. Chibi was experiencing the same problem.

Kagu started sweating and gasped for breath. Her throat was extremely dry and she felt dizzy.

"I know. . .Asa. . .but. . .I can't do it. . .I can't win. . ." she murmured. Miyumi had no strength to argue with the girl, but watched the demons charge the beam again.

They aimed directly at Kagu. The actress saw this and prepared to die, but. . .the beam never reached her, for Chibi had become her shield. Miyumi moved closer to Kagu, watching her brother with worry. "Pooch!" the girl screamed. Chibi was blown from the stage, landing in the seating area.

He got up and shook himself. "If you think that can keep me down, you're sadly mistaken!" he barked.

"Chibi. . ." Miyumi whispered. The younger pup stood between the demons, his friend, and his sister. The beam fired on him again, a bit more forceful. Again, he was thrown off the stage and weakly made his way back to his friends.

Miyumi struggled to stand, her legs shaking beneath. "Chibi stop it!" she screamed. The younger god ignored her. He would never stop. Hi sister had taken many critical blows for him, he wasn't about to let her die. . .or anyone else for that matter.

Sen and Ryo were slightly confused by his sudden strength. The young pup glared at tem, his eyes ablaze. "IF YOU TWO BAKAS HONESTLY THINK THAT THAT ATTACK AND THIS UGLY TOY OF YOURS CAN KEEP ME DOWN, YOU ARE VERY WRONG!" he snarled.

Kagu was shocked, so was Miyumi. The young actress decided to call him off, explaining that she did not require his protection. She gave him a small cuddle then spun around, sparkles of white light dancing around her body. There was flash of blinding white light.

Kagu reappeared in a miko dress, her hair pulled into a high ponytail, secured by golden bells. This surprised Chibi. Kagu glanced at her friends and saw something shocking. "W-who are you?" she asked. Chibi turned around. He was caught completely off guard by what he saw.

The spot where Miyumi should have been was now being used by a tall fourteen year old with long blonde hair. It was up into a high ponytail tied with a limp light blue ribbon. Her bangs were spiky, her eyes a sky blue and her skin creamy. She wore a miko dress, but it was light blue and the skirt had Moon Tribe markings.

Chibi opened his mouth to speak. "S-sissy?" he asked. The girl, or in other words Miyumi, nodded. Kagu looked at her and got a stare in return. The blonde smiled.

"It's me. . .Asa!" she shouted happily. Kagu's jaw dropped. Her friend had the power to transform!

Meanwhile, the two demons found themselves startled and frightened.

"What is this. . .purity of spirit? It's undoing my power!" Sen screamed. The two immortals looked at Kagu.

"I used to hate being different from others. I just wanted to be normal. I just wanted to be an actress. I would pray for that every day. But you two have changed my mind. . . You both risked your lives for me. I'm not going to hold back anymore. Because. . .Because. . . You're my partners, and I'm going to stand beside the both of you!" she shouted, facing the demons.

The pup and the Lunar Miko (Miyumi) turned to the frightened demons, readying themselves.

Ryo was just as horrified as his partner. "No, it's the power of a Miko! How can a little girl like you have such power!" he screamed. He got no answer, but Kagu's ice cold glared silenced the two.

Perched atop Chibi, with Miyumi in her Lunar form at her side, Kagu started spitting acid.

"Listen to me, you hacks! You come in my playhouse and scare the customers and take my parents! Well. . .I've had enough. I'll show you what true talent looks like!" she screamed, waving a prayer slip around.

Miyumi glanced at her, smiling. Sen's voice got her attention. "Y-you! Who the heck are you? You look like a miko, but not one of this world!" he screamed. The blonde teen moved forward, raising her hands in front of her. Pale blue spheres of light formed around them.

"Allow me to introduce myself! I am Miyumi, reincarnation of Stellaluna, a powerful miko of an almost extinct immortal race! It's time to teach you measly bakas a lesson. Feel the wrath of a Moon Tribe Miko and that of Cosmic Energy!" she shouted.

The girl moved her hand to her hand, and twirled her pointer finger near her temple.

"Tsuki. . .Tsuki. . .Tsuki. . .Moonlight Cannon!" she screamed. A cannon of bright blue light shot from the girl's hands, slamming into the puppet's face. That had started the battle.

The demons weren't holding back, neither were our heroes. It was obvious that Sen and Ryo weren't going down without a fight, but that didn't stop the three. Miyumi was able to keep the demons somewhat occupied by casting spells with her power.

Chibi Cherry Bombed the puppet's hands, stunning it and dealt more and more blows. Each process to reveal the weak points of the monster puppet wasn't easy and very risky. It took all Chibi's ink, and much of Kagu's as well as Miyumi's power. Both mikos grew closer to exhaustion, but were determined to keep up the fight.

The points of weakness had to be dispelled by magic provided by Kagu and the main spell was cast by Miyumi. "Steel Strike!" the blonde screeched. A barrier flew into the puppet's chest as hard as metal and knocked it around.

The process continued once more, same as before. The monsters tried many times to snatch away Kagu, and sometimes even Miyumi, but failed.

As they neared their victory, Miyumi felt her heart racing in her chest. The adrenaline inside her had kicked right through her, making her feel good. To heck to her Oji-san's worries. This was awesome!

Finally, and with the same spell as before, the monster puppet collapsed. Sen and Ryo appeared on its shoulders, dizzy and sick from the beatings. Kagu and Miyumi stood before them, prayer slips in hand, moving as gracefully as geisha girls.

"Bear to witness our Dance of Exorcism!" the two girls cried. They moved as beautifully and as quickly as cherry blossom petals. Their many poses stunned the audience as they directed their magic towards each demon.

Sen and Ryo cried for someone named "King Fury" as they collapsed into death. The final movements of their dance killed the puppet, but also made the shadowy creature Miyumi had seen back in Agata appear. Her eyes as well as the creature's as meet and static crackled between them. The entity left without speaking.

Now, the only thing left on the minds of the children was: "Who's King Fury. . .?"

**Well, how'd I do? Please let me know. Now time for my news report. **

**After I finished the last part of Rising Heroes, I wanted to create a two part spin off for the final part. We would meet more new characters, new relationships and have more adventures. **

**But. . .I'm assuming that you believe I'm just dragging you on if I do that, so I need your opinion. **

**Should I do my two part spin off for Okamiden: Rising Heroes? **

**Or. . .should I mash it together all into the final part of Rising Heroes? **

**Or. . .not do it at all? If I do this option, you'll be missing out on a lot. Keep that in mind. **

**Review and Adieu! Oh wait! I might be changing my pen name to Rosalina Sutcliff and I'm planning on jumping back and forth between nicknames, so no one steal Daughter Of Yumigami, got it?**

**Bye!**


	10. The Aftermath! Revelations?

**Miyumi: Hi everyone! So sorry for such a late update. Yuki's been so busy lately, what with school work, something called the EOCT and Final Exams, and some writer's block she's had no time to write. **

**Chibi: Yeah, please forgive Yuki. Oh, she was too tired to type, so she left us in charge of this chapter. **

**Miyumi: Right, and Yuki would like to say thank you for your opinions on the two part spinoff. Because of what you've said, it's definitely gonna happen. Now, that that's over, let's get started, shall we?**

As the revolving stage turned the broken puppet away, the children sighed in relief.

"Well. . .glad that's over!" Miyumi said with a huff.

The battle had been exhausting, though they weren't bleeding. Chibi had bruises covering his back and head, Kagu had a slight concussion from being slammed by the puppet, and Miyumi scratches and bruises covering her face and shoulders.

She'd heal their injuries as best she could, but the scars were still there. As if that were the least of her problems, the Cosmic Energy that had been stored inside her had put much pressure on her body and mind.

"_You must be more careful, Miyumi-chan. This energy can overwhelm you if you allow it. And if it does, it might just destroy you. Many of my students lost their lives to its power and I do not wish to lose another pupil of mine. . ." _Stellaluna's voice echoed again.

The young girl froze. The mere thought of having her body destroyed terrified her. Already she felt drained, what with casting only a few spells. Each one took a good deal of power and concentration. She'd have to practice more, not with physical, but with mental strength.

In the meantime, they had to relax until another mission came up. In the midst of all her thinking, Kagu's parents had returned and the actress was thrilled. The immortals watched in awe as the family embraced.

While Kagu was happy to be with her parents again, Kiku, her mother, felt upset with herself. Her only child and life had to use the powers she despised so to save them. Kagu said it was alright and that she was fine with using her powers. This surprised her father, but he turned out proud that she had matured so quickly.

After a brief talk with her canines, it was time for some relaxation.

"Hey, you two wanna roam around the city for a bit? We get can something for those scars, then get something to eat" the actress said. Miyumi picked up Chibi in her arms and sighed. "You two can, I need some time to increase my mental strength. Those spells took _so_ much outta me, so I'm gonna head to Yakushi Village" the lunar miko replied.

The girl and pup looked at her in confusion. Why did she wanna go there? "Why?" Chibi yipped the question. Miyumi straightened her skirt, clearing off the dust.

"Yakushi's new inn is open and I heard they got a hot spring. Those steaming waters will do me some good. You're welcome to come if you'd like" she offered, standing back up.

The actress and young god looked at one another. They're injuries weren't _too_ bad. . .but the hot spring sounded nice, however Kagu _had_ to see Miko Cho. Finally deciding, they looked back at the blonde. "No thanks, I really need to speak to Miko Cho and I want Pooch to come with, so you can go on without us" she said.

Miyumi bounced on her feet, clapping gleefully. "Great! Be back in an hour!" and with, she turned on her heels, and trotted away. Chibi sweat dropped, his sister's mood seemed to change every five seconds.

Oh well. He watched his sister trot into a shop where a guide would escort her to the village, then looked at Kagu. The young miko smiled.

"Ready?" she asked. Chibi nodded and eased her onto his back and set off. It didn't take long to find the leader of the miko, as she was right next to the gate heading for the Aristocrat Quarters. She seemed at ease now that Sei-an was alive again. But, she still had a look of disturbance on her beautiful face.

Concerned, Kagu waved an arm to signal the woman. "Miko Cho!" she cried. The young woman glanced over and smiled. She gestured with her hand for them to come. Once before her, Cho began to speak, looking fondly at Kagu and her puppy.

"Kagu, we are all in your debt. If not for your actions, we would not be here now. Oh, it seems you are short of a companion" she said gratefully. Kagu looked at her with honesty written on her face. "Well, yes. Asa went off to rest, so me and him are on our own. And please, I didn't do anything, really. Pooch and his sister deserve all the credit" she replied.

Chibi wagged his tail happily. "Hey thanks, Kagu! That's real sweet!" he barked. Kagu's statement surprised. She never expected to ever see this side of Kagu. It was so. . .unlike her. Quite unexpected of the young rising star.

"My! I never thought I'd see such humility in you! It would appear that this experience has helped you grow" she stated. Kagu gave a slight, half smile. This was getting just a little awkward for her.

"I guess. . ." she said in a quiet manner. Quickly gathering herself together, Kagu stood up nice and tall, looking the head miko in the eye. "Miko Cho, I have something to ask you. Have you ever heard the name King Fury before?" she asked.

The Head Miko gave a slight tilt of the head. That was quite an unusual name, but it rang no bells. "No, the name is not a familiar one. . .But I have felt a power in the spirit world that would fit. I fear to press the matter any further" she replied, her voice somewhat grim. She paused, directing her attention to the door of the Aristocrat Quarters, which was cloaked in red-purple smoke.

"For now, I must concern myself with ridding the world of demons" she said calmly. Kagu nodded, acknowledging the miko's concerns, but wondering about her strength at the same time. "You haven't regained your strength yet?" she asked, worriedly.

Miko Cho shook her head sadly, but stood tall and strong all the same. "I have an enchantment for purification, but I haven't mastered it," she paused, looking ready to cry, but started sweating, "Without my powers at full strength, I cannot master it" she said upsettingly.

Kagu pondered this information inside her head. The Head Miko was very weak, too weak to perform a proper exorcism. Well, there was only one way around this little situation. . .She stood up straight, staring into Miko Cho's eyes.

"Then please, allow me to do it. Give me that enchantment slip" she replied, her eyes beaming with confidence. She half expected the miko to be shocked, but she smiled instead. "You have changed, haven't you, Kagu? Before you were afraid to use the Miko power" she reminded her.

Kagu shrugged it off. Like that nonsense mattered anymore! "I didn't want to be different, but I don't care now"

"Go on"

"I'm a popular actress, so that already makes me different"

"Hee hee, you have learned much" the Head Miko said with a laugh. "Allow me to bestow upon you the enchantment slip," she said, taking the slip of paper out and depositing it into Kagu's small hands, "You have proven your worth. . ." she murmured.

Thanking the lead Miko, Kagu and Chibi set off to expel the demons and dark energy inhabiting the homes and shops the city. They started out at a small restaurant and worked their way from there. It wasn't long before they finished up the whole area.

Chibi grinned as the sky regained its natural blue color. Clouds drifted lightly on the ever gentle wind. Birds sang sweet melodies and the sounds of the citizens socializing and laughing was music to his furry ears. With the sakura trees in full bloom and the sweet aroma hanging in the air, Chibi believed it might be a dream.

It was too peaceful, happy, and serene to be real. At least, in Nippon's current case, it wasn't. Oh well, dream or not, his mission was far from over, as he had much left to do.

"_Chibiterasu. . ."_ a misty voice called.

Chibi froze, his fur standing on end. A chill crept up his back, making him shiver ad his teeth chatter softly. He looked around quickly to find the owner of the voice, but saw only Kagu standing by his side.

"_Chibiterasu. . .my grandson. . .help me!"_ the voice came again. It sounded as though it was in his ear. Maybe it was the wind? Could he be imaging the voice? Maybe. . .but he wasn't too sure about the theory. He waited for it to call again, but after a few seconds, nothing came.

The young god sighed in relief. What a scary moment! Well, now that that was done with, he once again observed the scenery of the city. Kagu was brimming with happiness. "OK, we've purified every area contaminated by evil spirits. Ha ha! That was a piece of cake" she said victoriously.

Chibi barked in agreement. However, and quite unexpectedly at that, their excitement was cut short. The sky turned dark and ominous and the wind became eerie. Above their heads, red-purple smoke gathered into a ring and began to manifest itself into a demon.

When the smoke cleared, Kagu expected something hideous, but instead it was a mask. A rather large mask. It appeared to be that of a bird, but it was green with yellow eyes. It also had long horns that were half red slightly blending with the green and at the top of the head was a yellow hat.

Without thinking, Chibi dropped into an attack crouch and prepared for an attack. Kagu was somewhat surprised, but remained calm about it. "Oh, wait, there's one of those guys left," she said, pausing to remove a prayer slip from her sleeve, "Take this!" she shouted.

The slip flew from her hand and landed on the mask, but for some reason, it burned up in a matter of seconds. This surprised Kagu, and made her a bit angry. "Hey, that should have worked" she growled, drawing out another prayer slip, but gave it more power this time.

"Take this-again!" she shouted. When the enchantment landed on the mask again, electricity crackled. Kagu watched, hoping it would work this time. Her hopes were in vain however, as the mask burned it off again. Kagu swore without thinking, surprising Chibi.

But what surprised him the most was the sound of laughter. He looked up and saw that it was the mask that was laughing.

"Hah, child's play" it cackled. Kagu began to sweat nervously.

"Why aren't my powers working. . .?" she asked herself. A sudden thought came to her head. "Who. . .What are you?" she asked it.

The mask laughed again before speaking. "Allow me to enlighten you. I am King Fury!" it shouted. Chibi snarled angrily, launching himself at the demon mask. Meanwhile, Kagu's thoughts drifted back to what Sen and Ryo had said before they died.

She raised her eyes in shock. "Pooch! It's him!" she cried. Chibi growled again, slamming into the mask. He could have sworn he had heard the mask chuckle as it zapped him wildly. He was repelled and knocked to the ground, half conscious half unconscious. Kagu looked at Chibi with worried eyes, then glared up at the demon mask.

It, or rather he, cackled. "Your fear is rather palpable, young miko. Your power is greater than you can even fathom. And one day, I will make it mine" he declared. Kagu's worries increased and she started sweating more than ever before.

"Wh-Who are you?" she asked again.

The mask didn't bother with her question. "Just you wait, Miko" he growled before flying higher into the air and vanished in a puff of smoke. Kagu stood, a slight chill creeping up her spine. "That was. . .That was King Fury. . .Scary. . ." she breathed. After few minutes, Chibi came to. He stood up and shook himself to clear his foggy head. He noticed that the demon was gone and that Kagu was staring up into the sky. He sighed and was about to ask what happened, when a strange sound caught their ears. The demonic energy, which covered the door to the Aristocrat Quarters, cleared and the gate swung open.

The duo looked at each other, nodded, and set off towards the other part of the city. They were momentarily stopped by Miko Cho. She seemed quite pleased, as she was smiling with joy.

"You've done well, Kagu. You have exorcised the town of all demons and evil spirits" she said happily. Kagu bowed her head in respect to her. "Yes, Miko Cho. . ." she said rather blandly. The Head Miko was surprised by this.

Why was Kagu not cheerful and happy for her accomplishment? "You are not pleased by this?" she asked. Kagu looked up at her, her eyes clouded with some worry. "I am, but. . .I want to understand this power that I have. I want to master it, control it. I want to be able to stand up to King Fury" she stand, holding her head high.

Miko Cho nodded with understanding. "Well, then. . .I believe it's time to begin your training. Are you ready?" she asked gently. Kagu paused to think.

Was she truly ready to start her training to become a Miko? If she was, what would her parents say? Would they be upset that she was leaving the troupe or would they encourage her to fulfill her destiny? At the moment, she didn't want to hear their answer and Miko Cho didn't want to hear it either. All she wanted was to hear _Kagu's _answer.

'_If I train to become a Miko, I won't be able to remain an actress. And if I choose to be a Miko as an adult, I won't be able to marry or have a family. But that's not important right now. What's important is stopping these demons and the only way I can do my part is train to be the Miko I want to be. . .' _she thought carefully.

A nudge from Chibi brought her from her thoughts. She looked up at the Head Miko, who had been waiting patiently for her answer. Standing proud and tall, she replied, "Yes. . .I'm ready". Miko Cho smiled brightly.

"Then I will go to the shrine and prepare for your training" she said. Without another word, she turned headed for the Himiko Shrine. The miko and god pup watched her leave in silence. When she was gone, Kagu sighed, as if a burden had been relieved from her shoulders. She turned to her partner, smiling.

"Hey, Pooch? Would you mind going with me to the shrine?" she asked. Chibi grinned.

"Not a problem Kagu! I'd be happy to!" he yipped. Kagu smiled.

"It'll be sometime before she's ready. Let's hang out" she suggested.

"Okay! Sounds good!" Chibi replied. The two roamed around the city, making the dead cherry blossom trees bloom again and checking out various parts of the city. Kagu suggested that they stock up on supplies for the next adventure. It was important if they were gonna fight King Fury. After all the business in the Commoner's Quarters was taken care of, the duo moved onto to the next part of town.

Separating the two Quarters was a very long and narrow bridge with a small lake beneath it. '_Wow!'_ Chibi thought, eager to dash up and down the bridge till his little heart gave out. He ran across the bridge, feeling light and graceful, like his father.

Nearing the other end of the bridge, he saw someone he recognized. "Hey!" he yipped. Kagu jumped, startled by his unexpected bark. "Whoa! Hey there! What's got into you?" she asked. Chibi barked again, nodding his head towards the person. Kagu followed his gaze to see a young boy with his back to them.

She looked back at her canine companion, an eyebrow raised questioningly. "You know that boy? She asked again. Chibi didn't look at her, but replied. "You bet!" he yapped, running towards the boy. Kagu followed him without a word.

"Hey Kuni!" Chibi yipped, startling the boy. He turned around, slightly annoyed. "Huh? Wh-Whadya want?" he asked, half shouting. Chibi was about to speak, but the boy started to run off. Chibi quickly leapt in front of him. Kagu was concerned and confused at the same time. "Why are you trying to run away?" she asked gently.

The boy didn't reply. Kagu sighed in aggravation and took her place beside Chibi. "Pooch! Do you or don't you know this boy?" she asked, fed up with this nonsense. Chibi had a good look at the boy's face and realized. . .it wasn't Kuni. He whimpered in sadness and dropped his head.

Kagu picked up on it very quickly. "Oh. You thought he was someone else?" she asked. Just then, an old man with a blue mustache came running up the bridge, surprising the three. "Stop! Stop!" he screamed. He grabbed the boy by the collar of his shirt and gripped it tightly. The boy struggled to get free, but to no avail.

"Come back here!" the old man shouted. Kagu saw Chibi looked at her in confusion. She smiled and looked at the old man. "That's Dr. Bluebeard. He runs the apothecary in the city. He's Dr. Redbeard's brother" she explained calmly.

All the while, the commoner boy continued to struggle against Dr. Bluebeard's firm grip. "L-Let me go! I said let me go!" he screamed. Kagu tilted her head and stared at Dr. Bluebeard. "What's wrong, doctor?" she asked worriedly.

The old man glared at her, then at the boy. "What's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong! This little punk stole medicine from my shop" he shouted, fuming angrily. Kagu gave a "Humph!" sound and put her hands on her hips.

"A thief! That's why you were running" she hissed. Chibi glared at the boy too. "Shame on you!" he growled.

"Their right, you know! You should be ashamed of yourself!" a feminine voice called. The small group looked up to see a blonde haired girl with her hair in a high ponytail in a blue miko dress.

"Asa! You're back!" Kagu shouted happily.

"Hi Sissy!" Chibi barked. Miyumi raised her hand in greeting.

"Hey Chibi, Kagu! What's going on?" she asked. Kagu turned her attention back to the boy.

"Just stopping a small crime" she said. Miyumi looked at the situation.

"_Ah? Bon?_" she asked. Then her gaze darted to the boy and her eyes widened. "Hey, I know you! You were at the medicine shop while ago, weren't you?" she asked, an eyebrow raised in question. Kagu looked at the Moon girl.

"You know him, Asa?" she asked, confusedly. Miyumi nodded and rubbed the back of her head.

"Yeah, well, more like saw him. After practicing with my mental strength while relaxing in the hot spring, I decided to come back to the city. I tried to find you guys, but my leg was hurting, so I went over to the doctor's to get some herbs for it, and I ran into this little guy. He had a bundle of herbs in his arms and he seemed pretty panicky and quick to leave the shop. A moment later, the doc here comes out, screaming and fuming like a sizzling pot of stew. He said that this kid here stole some of his herbs. I followed him and here I am now" she explained.

Kagu nodded. "I see" she said quietly. Meanwhile, Dr. Bluebeard plopped the boy down on his butt. The young commoner held the bundle in his small arms, looking sad. "I-I'm sorry! I did it for my mom. She's sick. And since we don't have much money. . ." he trailed off.

Dr. Bluebeard crossed his arms and glared down at him. "I'm not interested in your excuses. Just give it back to me" he said, snatching the bundle from the boy's arms. "There. That's better. . .Well, you've learned your lesson. Here" he said, holding the bundle back out to the child.

"Go on, take it" he stated coolly. The commoner looked confused. "Huh?" he asked. The doctor laughed lightly. He explained to the child that if he had no money, he could've just said so. The boy had a mouth, so he should learn to use it. The old man also said he never wanted to catch the boy stealing ever again.

With the herbs firmly gripped in his arms, the boy smiled and thanked him. Promising he would never take something that wasn't his again, he ran off towards his home to give them to his mother. Watching the boy go, Kagu said that he had gone too easy on the child. Dr. Bluebeard agreed with her, but said that the boy learned his lesson.

"And I was able to teach it to him thanks to you catching him. I owe you for that" he said proudly. Kagu shook her head, smiling. "You don't have to thank us" she murmured. But the old man insisted that he do so. He mentioned some new herbs he had planted in his garden and that the children were free to help themselves.

Kagu didn't think they'd need any more than what they had, but Dr. Bluebeard offered anyway. He told them to drop by and pick them up later. With that, he turned to leave, but not before stopping to look at Miyumi.

"You come by later too, okay Miss Miyumi? You said your leg wasn't that bad right? One of the herbs I'm offering can fix your leg right up!" he declared. Miyumi smiled.

"Sure! I'll pop by later" she said. The old man smiled.

"Great! Have a nice day now!" he called over his shoulder as he left. With that done, the trio continued onward into the Quarters of the upper class society. When they entered the other side, a guard told them that Miko Cho was waiting for them at the shrines gate.

Kagu thanked him and the trio proceeded to the shrine. Sure enough, there was Miko Cho, standing on the steps at the door. The Head Miko acknowledged Miyumi as Asa, a friend of Kagu's. She turned her attention towards the soon to be miko-in-training.

"Welcome, Kagu. Are you ready to embark on this journey?" she asked softly.

Kagu replied steadily. "Yes, I am"

Miko Cho smiled and gestured to the building behind her. "This palace once belonged to Queen Himiko. Now it's a place for all young miko in training. But soon, a new queen will be ascending the throne" she explained.

This surprised Kagu. "A new queen? Who?" she asked. Miko Cho turned back to her.

"Queen Himiko's niece, Princess Mioshi" she explained. Kagu was quick to respond.

"Oh, I've heard of her! She's the daughter of the Emperor, Himiko's younger brother. Didn't her father send her to China to protect her?" she asked. Miko Cho nodded. When word got to the Emperor that his older sister was dead, he knew his daughter would be her successor, as told by Himiko in her will. But if the demons knew about Mioshi, they would surely kill her.

So, in a desperate attempt to protect his child and the future Queen of Nippon, the Emperor put her on a trade ship to China with her guards and servants. There, the Emperor of China would hide her in his palace. Now, after a year and a half, Mioshi had returned from China.

"Now that the princess has returned, she will be able to become queen into two months' time" Miko Cho stated. Kagu nodded, understanding.

"That's good, but don't you think that's rushing things? How old is she?" the actress asked.

"She just turned 19. I know it seems young for a queen, but her father is no longer eligible for the crown and Himiko has no other living family members, so Mioshi is our best hope. She will admit she's nervous, so we're giving her pep talks. That seems to help a lot!" she said cheerfully.

Kagu smiled. A new queen, huh? There was a shining hope for Nippon, and it was just two months away. But, something came to mind at that moment. "What about the academy?" she asked.

"Mioshi is like you, she was born with Miko powers. She says she wants to help train the students, so we'll be teachers together" the Head Miko told her. Kagu nodded, thought for a moment. She asked if she could speak with her friends. Once granted permission, she turned to the young gods.

"OK, Pooch. . .Asa. . .I guess this is it. I won't be able to see anyone while I'm in training" she said softly, and sorta sadly.

"You also won't be allowed to perform in any plays," Miko Cho cut in, "You have to focus on your training. . .Are you ready to take this step?" she asked.

Kagu turned to look at the Miko. "I've had time to walk around the city and think. I enjoy acting and entertaining people. But I can only devote myself to acting if I know the city is safe. The only way to do that is to perfect my Miko powers," she paused, standing up quickly with her hands together, ". . .Not just for my sake, but for everyone's. . ." she whispered.

Miko Cho nodded and kept her gaze on the actress while Miyumi crouched down to see Kagu's face and Chibi stood close by. Kagu looked sort of sad, but determined as well. Miko Cho spoke with tenderness and understanding. "Your maturity is very commendable. I will see to it that your training is not lacking" she murmured.

Kagu rose up and turned to face her. "Thank you. . .But I have one favor to ask you, Cho-sensei. Can you tell my parents that I'm here training for me?. . .I don't think. . .I just wouldn't be able to explain it to them" she whined, sweating buckets.

Miko Cho gave her a sincere smile. "Look at me, Kagu. . .They already know" she breathed, nodding to the two people behind the girl. Kagu was shocked when she saw her parents. "Mother! Father!" she cried. Her parents went on explain that everything was alright and that they'd support through it all. Kagu had never thought her parents would encourage her to become the Miko she was destined to be.

Forever grateful for their support, she bowed her head in respect. Then, she turned to look at her companions.

"Well. . .I guess this is it. . .Time to go. . .Thank you. . ." she murmured, wrapping her arms around Miyumi and Chibi's shoulders. Miyumi locked an arm around Kagu and Chibi pressed his muzzle into her shoulder. "We made a good team, even if it was for a short time" she whispered.

Miyumi nodded. "Take care Kagu. May your training be good and may you succeed in future battles. I'll see you on the battlefield and, for certain, we'll be on the same side" she replied. Chibi nodded too.

"_Bonne chance_, Kagu!" he yipped. Kagu gave them one last hug before pulling away. "Now go on. Get out of here. I'm not good at goodbyes" she whimpered, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. Miyumi's eyes were watering too, so were Chibi's. The two gods hurried away before any tears fell for real. Behind them, Kagu wiped her eyes on her sleeve and waved at them. "Farewell! Good luck! I'll do my best to become the best Miko ever! Ill train day in and day out!" she called as her partners scampered off. She started to follow them, longing to accompany them on their next quest.

"I'm going to return the favor for all the times you two saved me! We'll all meet again! I know it!" she shouted, trying to hold back her tears. Up ahead, Chibi and Miyumi had walked off the grounds of the shrine.

Tears streamed down Chibi's eyes as he looked up at his sister. "Sissy, I know that Kagu isn't far behind us, but. . .I miss her already" he whimpered. Miyumi sighed in sadness, her own eyes watering like heck.

"I know. . .I do too"

After leaving Kagu to her training, our heroes wandered the upper-class quarters, finding different items and other odds and ends for their next trip. Chibi was digging around a guard's post while Miyumi was searching behind a house. While she was digging up a Holy Arrow lodged in the ground, small beep was heard.

Her head darted upward, looking around for the noise's owner. Unsuccessful in her search, she shrugged and went back to digging. A moment later, the beep came again and she saw a bluish glow coming from inside her sleeve.

"Ah, my communicator" she mumbled. Reaching into her sleeve, she dug out the small device. It was two and a half inches wide and almost an inch thick. It had a blue-gray color to it, with small markings. On the left side, there were some buttons used from contact. On the top, a glass circle was flashing neon blue.

The Lunar Miko hit a button on the side and read the info on the screen:

Caller: Unknown

Code: 8736289173

Message Receiver: Miyumi

Reason: Captured; Require Assistance

Huh? Who was contacting her? The girl hit the "Accept" button and the "Speaker" button and spoke into it. "Hello?" she asked.

"Hey Sis!" a voice on the other end replied. Miyumi froze.

"_Qui est ceci_?" she asked.

"Quit talking nonsense, Sis! Speak normally"

"Oh whatever! Who's calling?"

"You should know, Dudette! You and Dad are the reason I'm here after all"

"You're not supposed to be here yet! What happened?"

"Engine problems. I crashed in North Ryoshima Coast. Some guards took me hostage. Help a brother out, sister-sister?" the voice asked. Miyumi groaned in frustration.

"Hold tight, I'm on my way" she growled before pressing the "End" button.

After a good search, Chibi went looking for his sister. But, for some odd reason, he couldn't find her. He checked everywhere, from behind houses to underneath bridges to around the shrine, but no luck.

She was nowhere to be found.

"Hmmm. . .maybe Sissy went to speak to Kagu. If that's the case, I'll wait for her at the gate" he said to himself. As he was nearing the gate, two figures jumped in front of him, startling him.

"Hey you! Yeah, you! With the crazy war paint!" one figure shouted. Chibi lowered his body down and began growling, but got up to look at the figure. It was a boy, about the age of 10.

He had short, straight blonde hair that went a little past is ears, sky blue eyes, and creamy skin. He wore a pink vest with dark pink trim, purple shorts, tall red geta, a dark pink scarf, and a small green hat in the shape of a crow. Behind him, possibly stuffed in a sash, was a light brown flute.

Next to him. . .was Miyumi. Chibi looked at her.

"Sissy?" he asked. "Who's he?" he wondered, pointing a paw at the boy. Before Miyumi could say anything, the boy spoke.

"Dude. . .Dudette. . ." he murmured glowing. Miyumi pinched the bridge of her nose. Chibi tilted his head in confusion.

"I can feel, like, a vibe between you, me and Sis. Since you don't have a collar. . ." he began. The boy jumped up high and landed on Chibi's back, startling the pup. He was about to protest, when someone called out.

"Stooop!" they shouted. Miyumi and Chibi looked up to see a small group of guards charging right at them. Stooooooop!" they shouted again.

Chibi under his sister snarl in frustration. "You've gotta be kidding me. . ." she hissed. The boy on Chibi's back looked down at him. "C'mon, boy, Sis! We gotta bust outta here!" he shouted over the guards' voices.

Chibi whined, but did not protest and the trio dashed away, as fast as their feet could carry them, from the guards. They high-tailed it across the bridge and into the Commoner's Quarters, finally safe. The three came to a halt, inhaling deeply. Miyumi sat down to catch her breath. Chibi stood panting like crazy, but all the boy did was wipe some sweat off his brow. "Nice one. We made it outta there no sweat" he said coolly.

He jumped from Chibi's back and did a graceful twirl before landing. Placing his hands on his hips, he smiled, or rather, smirked. "Thanks, dude. You too, Sis!" he added to Miyumi.

The Moon Tribe girl looked away with a "Humph!" The boy chuckled at that and looked back at Chibi's face.

"I think they would've kept me locked in there forever if they could" he said slyly. Miyumi raked her claws against the ground.

"Yeah, they would have. . .if I hadn't save your sorry butt! Papa told you to be careful!" she shouted. The boy slightly laughed and smiled at her. "Take a chill pill, sister-sister" he giggled. Miyumi shot up and glared at him.

"Don't call me that!" she hissed, spitting venom. The boy shrugged at her. His eyes drifted to her attire and he raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Those are some funky clothes you got on, Sis. Where you headed? Costume party?" he asked.

Miyumi leaned in close, growling in his face. He slightly flinched and backed up a little, but eased up when Miyumi pulled back. The boy crossed his arms. "You really need to learn to take a joke"

"And you need to learn that that mouth of yours could get you into some serious trouble, so think before you open it!" Miyumi snapped. The boy nodded and flew off to the side. "Anyway. . ." he started, pulling out his flute from behind him and twirling it. "Kurow's the name, and having a good time is my game" he declared.

Chibi yawned and looked at his sister. "Hey, why does he keep calling you "Sis"?" he asked. He didn't recall Kurow being their brother. Miyumi leaned in, whispering into his ear. "I'll explain later" she mumbled. Her brother nodded and the two looked around.

Kurow cocked his head and shrugged. "Huh. . .Looks like it's not your game," he paused, walking over to Chibi and taking his head in his hands. "But you'll change your tune once you hear what I gotta tell you" he said seriously.

Releasing Chibi's small head, he backed up. "One day a shooting star fell on Ryoshima Coast. . .Then some awesome dude, just like, stepped out of it!" he exclaimed. Chibi nodded, half listening, half wanting to walk away. Miyumi placed a hand on her forehead. Kurow continued.

"Now here's the good part. You know who that dude was? It was yours truly!" he shouted in triumph. Chibi sighed in an "Oh brother" kind of way. Kurow grabbed his head, forcing the pup to look at him. "Betcha didn't see that one coming, eh boy?" he asked, moving Chibi's head up and down. Releasing it again, he continued, "So you curious as to where I came from? You're a little curious, right?" he asked as Chibi scratched himself with a hind leg.

Kurow grabbed the pup's head again. "Yeah, I can tell. You pretty curious" he hummed, once again shaking poor Chibi's head. This time, it was Chibi who yanked away and growled aggressively, a vein nearly popping out of his forehead. Kurow acted as if everything was fine.

"But unfortunately for you, dude, I'm not gonna tell ya" he paused again to twirl his flute, "Ha-ha! But if you wanna know, then you'll have to tome with me. How's that strike you? Sound good?" he asked.

Miyumi groaned. "Do you ever stop talking?" she snapped the question. Kurow was about to answer her, when the trio saw a young woman practically dragging herself down the pathway, looking sick and weak. She had only just passed them before her legs gave out and she collapsed onto the stone ground.

Kurow started sweating with worry. "Dudes, some girl's in trouble!" he shouted. The three approached her carefully. Miyumi crouched down to see the woman's face. "Miss, are you alright?" she asked. Kurow spoke next. "Yo, lady, you OK?" he asked.

With Miyumi's help, the woman picked herself up. "H-Help me. . ." she moaned. As she started to turn, Kurow saw her face. His eyes widened and a floral background appeared behind the woman. In his mind, her face sparkled.

Out of nowhere, little hearts danced around Kurow's head and, from Miyumi's perspective, he was drooling. "Whoa. . .You're gorgeous. . .You are SO magically delicious, lady!" he exclaimed, love sickness taking over his body. This shocked Chibi and made Miyumi slap her forehead.

Kurow wasn't paying attention, he was too focused on his future girlfriend. "Could I get your name?" he asked, rushing towards her.

Chibi and Miyumi watched, sweat dropping. "You've gotta be kidding me. . ." they said in unison. The woman was breathing deeply, as if she had run a long way to get to the city. She let two words pass through her lips.

". . .King Fury. . ." she breathed. Kurow was surprised that such a beautiful woman would have such an odd name.

"For real? That's your real name? Kinda weird, but OK. . . he said shrugging. The woman, who the two gods recognized as a scholar, shook her head. "No. . .I found out who King Fury really is. It's Sugawara" she murmured, still out of breath, "I saw it with my own eyes. It was him. . .I'm sure of it" she whispered.

Once Miyumi heard Sugawara's name, she froze. Chibi saw this and stared at her. "Sissy, what's the matter?" he asked. Miyumi turned to look at him. "Chibi. . ." she breathed.

"Yes?"

"Sugawara is. . .our grandfather" she whispered. Chibi jumped back in shock. How could he be related to someone evil?

"I don't understand. I thought-"

"We have more than one grandfather, Chibi. Izanagi is our mother's father. Sugawara, on the other hand, is our father's father, that makes him our grandfather. We are related to him through blood" she stated. Chibi was confused on how she knew. Their father had never said anything about their heritage on his side of the family.

"How did you-"

"Find out? Easy, I looked it up on the Ark's computer by searching our family tree. Grandpa's name came up when I searched for our grandparents. Apparently, I'm named after our father's mother. Her name was Miyumi" the Lunar Miko explained.

Chibi nodded, but still couldn't believe it. How could someone they shared their blood with, be the bad guy? He just didn't understand it at all. He was shaken by Miyumi, who told him to listen to the woman. She said that the situation was scary, because Sugawara was supposed to be dead. He was leading an army to some ruins.

". . .The ruins? Oh, you mean the place where I landed. . ." Kurow said quickly. Miyumi quirked an eyebrow.

"What ruins?" she asked. Kurow looked over his shoulder at her. "You don't know, Sis? I crash landed in some Moon Tribe ruins unearthed by some scholars from Sei-an Academy. And believe me when I say this, that place is sick! It's like a giant underground playground down there" he said playfully.

The children looked back at the woman, who explained that King Fury and his army were looking for something at the ruins, but she had no clue as to what it was. However, she most worried about leaving Gen, Sei-an's famous inventor, there at the ruins. He was in great danger and she believed she had to help.

Kurow didn't agree. He thought she should stay in the city where it was safe. The scholar said she had asked Gen to excavate the ruins, but never believed that something so destructive would happen. That was her reason, nothing more nothing less. Kurow smiled.

"OK, OK. How about I go and find this Ben guy for you" he said, twirling his flute. The scholar lady sweat dropped, so did the young immortals.

". . .Actually his name is Gen, not Ben" she corrected him. Miyumi sighed and sat down next to the woman.

"Ma'am, please forgive him. He doesn't always pay attention" she stated rather annoyed. Kurow laughed like crazy. "Ha-ha! Same difference" he giggled, covering his face dramatically. Chibi dropped his head in embarrassment.

Kurow wiped the smirk from his face and looked serious. "But that doesn't change the fact that a dude needs saving!" he said, holding his head up high with a fist out in front of him. The scholar tried to protest, but Kurow stopped her.

"Don't worry about it, lady. Your beauty inspires me!" he said, once again twirling his flute. "I also had some stuff to do at those ruins with my sister anyway. Right Sis?" he asked, turning to Miyumi. The miko looked confused and surprised at the same time.

What business could she have at the ruins? Her expression told Kurow she had no clue as to what he meant. The Moon Tribe boy sighed in a "Never mind" kind of way and looked back at the scholar lady. She nodded.

". . .OK then. Please rescue Gen for me" she said calmly. Kurow nodded.

"Will do. And you're both coming with, OK?" he asked the two gods. He just got some blank stares. Kurow sighed, but continued speaking. "You're not the type of dog that can ignore a lady's tears are you?" he asked Chibi.

"No, I can't resist helping anyone in need" he barked. Kurow turned to Miyumi.

"And YOU'RE not the type of girl who only thinks about herself, right?" he asked, smirking. Miyumi looked ready to attack him, but controlled her anger. Instead she gave a sweet smile with a menacing undertone.

"_Bien s__ûr que non!_" she said. She knew very Kurow didn't know a lick of French, she just spoke the language to bug him. Sure enough, Kurow got annoyed.

"Sis, don't speak a language I don't know. Well, whatever. I'm gonna assume you said "Right!" and be done with it. Anyways. . .Good! We're gonna be a stellar trio, dudes! And since you need a name, I'll call you boy. . .or duded. Whichever I'm in the mood for!" he stated. Chibi jumped up in shock and, to his sister's amazement, looked to have a rain cloud over his head.

Kurow looked at proclaimed sister. "As for you, I'll call ya Sis or Dudette. Sound good?" he asked. Miyumi just slapped her forehead. Kurow began laughing his head off, not caring at all.

The two immortals glared at him. Miyumi came over to Chibi and whispered into his ear, "Grab him" she hissed through her fangs. Her brother nodded, grabbed Kurow's shirt and tossed him high into the air. To their surprise, Kurow was twirling his flute like a propeller and landed gracefully on Chibi's back.

The trio struck a Team Up! pose. Miyumi looked at them, smiling.

"You ready?" she asked. The boys nodded and the trio headed off for the ruins.

**Miyumi: Cool, we've finished! **

**Chibi: Yeah, that went really well! **

**Kurow: Totally, now I can help you guys write chapters for Yuki. **

**Miyumi and Chibi: Hooray! **

**Miyumi: Well, now it's time for Yuki's Guide to French Terms! **

_**Ah? Bon?-Oh? Really? **_

_**Qui est ceci?-Who is this?**_

_**Bien s**__**û**__**r que non-Of course not **_

**Chibi: Sorry! We couldn't think of a lot of French terms, but it was fun to write after so long. **

**Kurow: Hey, I'm just glad I'm part of the story now. Anyways, Yuki is really happy we've finished this chapter. She'll be busy this year because she'll probably get a job, she'll be taking karate, and in July, she and her family are headed for Las Vegas. Oh, she'll also be busy next school year. **

**Chibi: Why? Homework? **

**Kurow: Not just that, she's been made Vice President of her school's Anime Club. **

**Okami and Okamiden Casts: Congrats Yuki! **

**Miyumi, Chibi, and Kurow: Review and Adieu! See ya soon! **


	11. Our Mission! The Lunar Ruins?

**Hi guys! So, how are we doing? I heard the last chapter was a success. Wonderful! **

**Kurow: Hey there, dude! Uh. . .Yuki, right? **

**Yup! That's me! **

**Kurow: Whoa! Your rabbit ears are awesome! **

**Uh, thanks? Anyway, before we start, we have a question, but it's not about the games. It's about me, Yuki! I want you guys to guess my favorite Pokémon based on the following riddle: **

_I am cute, cuddly, and fluffy.  
>Every time you see me, you just want to hold me.<br>There are more males than females when it comes to me.  
>I am the best Pokémon in evolution history! <em>

_Who am I? _

**Okay, when this chapters over, submit your answer along with the review. Let's see if you can figure it out! Oh, Chibi will be narrating this chapter. Alright, let's rock! **

Meeting Kurow wasn't the strangest that has happened today. Me, Sissy, and Kurow were headed off to the Lunar Ruins to find Gen, Sei-an's best inventor, when the citizens start dropping like flies. Sissy and I checked on one citizens to make sure she was okay, but when we touched her, she was as cold as ice.

Granted she was still alive, but her body temperature was at an all-time low. I know I'm only five months old in this form, but I'm pretty smart.

Dr. Bluebeard said he's never seen a disease that spreads so quickly, but Sissy didn't think it was a disease, but a demon. I think she's right. They all collapsed so quickly, that it seemed as if this disease was a living thing.

"Onee-sama, do you remember that story that Uncle Tsukiyomi told us? The one about a demon named Blight who took over the Emperor's body and plagued this city? Maybe there's some essence of him hanging in the air" I suggested.

My sister shook her head and crossed her arms. "No, Mama got rid of that pest a long time ago. While it looks like a disease, it seems to be more lifelike. This can't be just a coincidence, it's too. . .sudden" she explained. I nodded and looked around at all the victims.

Those poor people! They couldn't move, could barely keep their eyes open, much less breathe. As I watched them, I noticed that Kagu's parents were in the same condition. Her mother was barely moving and her father was mumbling about a dark shadow.

Kurow had been curious if Dr. Bluebeard could cure the victims, but the blue mustached man said he had tried everything, but nothing was working. I was about to suggest one of my sister's healing spells, when we heard Kagu's frightened cry.

"Mother! Father!" she squeaked. Kagu ran up to us, trying not to trip over her skirts. She dashed right over to her father and crouched next to him. Tsuruya seemed happy and somewhat surprised to see her. "Kagu!" I heard him say, but his voice was low, "Aren't you supposed to be training?" he asked, gasping for air.

Kagu nodded gently, looking her father in the eye. "I was. . .I mean, I still am. But Miko Cho told me to come here and help everyone" she said. Kurow looked at the dark haired girl with confusion.

"How? Even the doctors can't help!" he exclaimed. Sissy held out her arm to silence him. Looking back at her miko friend, she nodded for her to continue. Kagu cleared her throat before speaking.

"This is the work of King Fury" she explained, "But I have the power of a Miko. . ." she murmured, turning to her father. Putting her hands to her heart, she began channeling all of the power that resided within her small body.

I noticed her father looking at her, worriedly. "Oh, Kagu. . ." he moaned, "Have you even had enough time to perfect your powers?" he asked, weakly. I hadn't expected it at all, but Kagu started to giggle.

"He, he, he. . .Well it turns out that I'm a bit of a natural when it comes to that" she said proudly. She was almost done, when blood red smoke began swirling around her body. Kagu froze up and then started to sway side to side, like a tree about to fall over.

Then, without any warning, Kagu fell to the ground, covered in sweat and gasping for air. I noticed Tsuruya's eyes went wide. "Kaguuu!" he screamed as he tried oh so desperately to reach for his beloved daughter.

Sissy tried to grab Kagu's arm and pull her up, but the smoke burned her hand. "AH!" she screamed, pulling back. Falling to her knees, she clutched her left hand in pain.

"Sis! Are you alright, Dudette?" Kurow asked as he and I hurried over to examine her. Our eyes went wide when we saw the damage. Half of my Onee-sama's hand was black and charred. It must've hurt pretty badly, because we noticed tears spilling down her cheeks.

Kurow gently took her hand in his own, wincing as he felt the hot flesh.

"It felt as if I had stuck my hand into a vat lava. . ." she said through her sobs. While Kurow and Dr. Bluebeard tended to her, I saw the smoke removing itself from Kagu and flying high into the air. It gathered itself together, manifesting once more into the monster I now know as King Fury.

I heard my sister gasp and saw her looking at the demonic mask. "Wait. . .is that. . !" she stuttered her question. The mask turned to look at her.

"Yes, I am the one and only King Fury!" he shouted. Pausing for a moment, he turned to Kagu, "Hear me, little girl! At last you have awakened the Miko powers within you! So, as promised. . .I've come to make it mine!" he screamed.

He rushed down, heading directly at Kagu. I growled low in my throat.

"I don't think so!" I barked, rushing to grab Kagu before he could. Sadly, I was not fast enough. He got a hold of her before I could. I jumped to rescue her, but he was just too fast. I looked up at the two, worry and fear pounding in my heart.

King Fury smirked at us and then flew off, leaving red smoke in his wake.

"NO! BRING HER BACK!" I howled into the darkened sky. But they were gone, so my cries fell onto the unhearing wind. _'Hard to believe that that demon. . .is my. . .grandfather. . .' _I thought to myself.

Kurow stared up at the sky, a worried look on his face. "This looked hella bad!" he shouted. Dr. Bluebeard came up beside him. "I can't help these people of King Fury is to blame. Someone has to stop him or these people will die!" he screamed.

Dr. Bluebeard turned to us. We already knew what he wanted from us. Kurow smiled. "Don't worry, dude. We got this, right you two?" he asked me and Sissy.

Onee-sama was about to answer, but Kurow cut her off. "Hey doc! You do what you can for these people" he ordered calmly. Dr. Bluebeard looked confused.

"Do what I can?" he asked, until the answer hit him, "OK, I know! I can make sure no one else touches those nasty shadows!" he exclaimed. Kurow nodded and turned to us.

"Alright, boy! Time to make our way to those ruins," he paused, looking at Sissy, "Sis, you stay here and let the doc bandage that hand, okay? Can't fight with damaged body part, can ya?" he asked. Miyumi-chan shook her head.

"No, I'm coming with you!"

"But, Sis-"

"It's fine. I know a spell that can repair damaged flesh. I'll be alright. . .I promise" she murmured. Kurow nodded, smiling.

"Alright, let's go!" he shouted. Tsuruya begged us to save Kagu, which wasn't necessary because we were going to do that anyway. Kagu was our friend and there was no way in the world, or any world for that matter, that we would allow her to be harmed.

With our promises firm in Tsuruya's mind, we set off for North Ryoshima Coast, unaware of the secrets we would find waiting for us.

* * *

><p>It didn't take us long to find our destination. King Fury's scent was left behind, so Sissy and I were able to track him down. It led us directly to the Northern part of Ryoshima Coast, which if I recall, is where Sakuya said a large mass of evil was gathering.<p>

Well, now that we're here, we have a lot of work to do. First things first, Kurow noticed something up on a nearby cliff, so we headed up there to check it out.

What we didn't count on finding, was a grave, and a broken one at that. It was a giant stone slab sitting on an alter with the words:

_**Here lies Sugawara-A greedy, lying, power hungry politician**_**. **

That's all there was. Well, at least that's all that was left. The other half was the slab was gone.

I whimper in sadness. Why would anyone say such nasty things about my grandpa? He couldn't have always been a demon, right? There had to be something good and kind left in his heart. There just had to be.

I was so lost in my thoughts, that I almost didn't hear Kurow talking.

"So this is Sugawara's grave, or King Fury as he calls himself now. . ." he mumbled, his voice trailing off. Miyumi came up beside us, staring at the destroyed grave.

Moving closer, she flattened her body to the stone, moving her hands over the smooth surface. I noticed her left hand was doing much better since she had cast a spell on it a while ago. She circled around it, studying it carefully.

Kurow tilted his head. "Sis, what are ya doing?" he asked. Miyumi didn't look at him, spoke softly.

"Trying to see how hold this grave is. But from what I can tell, it isn't even a year old," she paused, turning to me, "Chibi, how long has it been since we arrived here in the mortal world?" she asked me.

I thought for a moment. It had been almost three weeks, right? Yeah, that was about it.

"Almost three weeks, Sissy" I stated. Miyumi nodded and went back to checking the grave.

"Judging from the appearance of the alter and the grave, I'd say this burial site is no more than four or five weeks old" she confirmed.

Kurow stared at her in surprise. "Are you saying King Fury, I mean, this Sugawara dude, died four to five_** weeks**_ ago?" he asked. Onee-sama nodded, not taking her eyes off the grave. We all stared at it. This was unbelievable. Grandpa died only a few weeks ago and he has become a demon already.

"Dude. . ." I heard Kurow breathe and looked at him. He was looking over to the right of the grave and I saw what he was staring at. It was a small metal tablet with some Moon Tribe markings on it, glowing a faint blue.

Kurow walked over to it. "Check out this design. . ." he murmured. We gathered around him, staring at it. This is nothing new to me or my sister. We've seen Moon Tribe stuff all the time inside the Ark. Sissy picked it up and showed it to us.

Kurow nodded. "Oh, yeah. . .This Sugawara guy is just like me and Sis. . ." he mumbled. I looked at it, tilting my head.

"Well, yeah. Half of our family is Moon Tribe, so. . ." I trailed off, not bothering to finish my statement. Kurow shook his head and pulled out a pendant with similar markings. "I mean, dude, look. See any similarities?" he asked, showing it to me.

Looking between the tablet in my Onee-sama's hands and the pendant Kurow had, I noticed a crescent moon on both of them. Kurow lifted his head to look at us, worry and fear in his sky blue eyes. "Oh, man. I just realized why this King Fury is gunning for the ruins. . ." he said, stopping there.

Looking at my sister, I saw that she held the same expression. "I just figured it out, too" she whispered. I was confused. What did they mean? Why was King Fury at the ruins? What was he looking for? Whatever it was, only Kurow and Sissy knew the answer.

"This is bad news, you two. We don't have time to waste!" he exclaimed. Without any more words, we dashed off towards the ruins.

* * *

><p>Getting to the entrance of the Lunar Ruins was bad enough as it was. We had to fight our way through a couple groups of demons before we reached the site. It wasn't much to see on the outside, but I'd bet every last riceball we have in our pack that there was a lot more inside than out.<p>

Because of the small gap between us and the entrance, we had to use the Guidance Brush Technique so Kurow could cross over and then he would pull us over.

Well, just as we were about to enter, you'll never guess who came hopping out.

Issun! Our mother's traveling companion way back when!

He didn't seem to notice us when he came out, because he started talking to himself. "Yes! Score one for the little guy! Got me a nice rare artifact! Yessir!" he shouted happily. He pulled out a blueprint of some sorts that had a drawing of a spaceship with instructions written all over it.

"No doubt about it, this is definitely what I think it is. Ha-ha-ha. . ." he chuckled.

He had absolutely no clue that we were behind him. So, better I say something than nothing, right?

"Hey Issun!" I yipped. The little bug shot right into the air, startled.

He turned around and, upon realizing it was me, relaxed and smiled.

"Oh! It's you Chibi! Hey! Where's Miyumi? And Kuni? I thought you three were a team" he stated, confused. Kurow gave a low chuckle, Sissy did too.

"Dude, Sis, you two know this pipsqueak?" he asked rudely. Issun glared daggers at him.

"Pipsqueak! I'll show YOU who's a pipsqueak!" he snarled, fuming like a blazing fire. Then, he relaxed himself, studying Kurow. And Sissy. "Wait. . .those faces. . ." he murmured.

My sister and Kurow stared at him oddly. "What about our faces?" I heard Kurow ask. Issun pulled away slightly, looking a little upset. He shook his head.

"Nothing. . .It's just um. . .they kinda rub me the wrong way" he said. I saw Onee-sama and Kurow give each other a confused look before setting their eyes back on Issun.

Kurow spoke up first. "Rub? You mean want a massage or something?" he asked. I expected Sissy to say something, but she kept quiet, which is unusual since she loves to talk. Issun began ranting his head off again. "No! Who said anything about a massage! I said rubs me the wrong way! Wasn't that clear?" he snapped.

"Dude, who can hear such a tiny voice?" Kurow asked, laughing. That earned him pinch on the arm from Miyumi. Issun rolled his eyes, ignoring them. "Hmm. . .I know I've seen these guys somewhere before. . ." he began.

Then, it hit him.

"Wait! I got it! You're Waka, aren't you!" he asked, looking at Kurow. Sissy and I stared at him with dumbfounded looks on our faces. "Huh?" we asked together. I saw Kurow's face turn to a confused look. He stared at Issun. "Who's Waka?" he asked. I thought I might be imaging it, but I swear I saw Onee-sama give Kurow a glance and smirk.

What was she thinking? I sometimes wish I could get inside her head. But, anyway, I looked back at Kurow, who was still confused. "Is that, like, a friend of yours?" he asked the bug. Issun jumped backward, shocked.

"Huh? You mean you're not? C'mon, you can't lie to me!" he shouted. I decided to butt in to stop the argument.

"His name's Kurow!" I yipped, but as usual the guy ignored me.

"Or maybe your Waka's kid brother! Right?" Issun asked, then turned to Onee-sama. "Um, are you-"

"No, my name is not Waka. I am a girl"

"Oh, so what's your name, sweetie?" he asked. I saw Sissy shudder. She looked around, biting her lower lip.

"It's. . .um, uh. . .Suki. Yeah, Suki!" she shouted, jumping onto the name quickly. Kurow butted in on it too. "This is my big sister, Suki" he said calmly. Issun nodded, finally putting pieces together. "Oh! Well, please forgive then. Sorry, but you two have those faces," he paused, turning to look at me, "So these two are who you're hanging out with these days, Chibi?" he asked.

I nodded and talked about, more like lied about, meeting Kurow and his sister "Suki" and how they said they had traveled here in a falling star and all that stuff. Issun seemed shocked and very interested in the tale I spun. "You don't say. These two were riding inside a falling star?" he asked, looking at Kurow and "Suki", "Must've hit their heads when they landed, eh?" he asked.

Not bothering to wait for an answer, he pulled out a scroll and threw it at the children.

"Here, you're gonna need this. It's a history of Nippon. I made it myself, and it'll teach you a thing or two. So, you guys going inside to check out the ruins?" he asked.

Onee-sama nodded. "Yeah, we were on our way to go in there" she murmured.

Issun gave a frightened look when he spoke. "This place gives off a bad vibe" he said, shivering.

Kurow glared at him. "Uh, what exactly are you doing here? You stealin' stuff?" he asked. Sissy gave Issun one of her "Tell-me-or-else" looks. Issun got ticked off at the two.

"A Celestial Envoy doesn't steal! I was looking for something!" he shouted, fuming. Kurow huffed.

"What, that piece of paper?" he asked. Issun looked confused, until something went off in his head and he pulled out the blueprint. "Oh, this thing? Yeah, when I heard about the ruins being here, I just KNEW I'd find this here, and I was right" he said smiling.

He must've realized something, because what he said next was surprising. "Sorry, but no time to dilly dally. A famous inventor has gone missing, and I aim to find him!" he paused to put the blueprint away, "See you around, kiddos!" he called.

We didn't bother to watch him leave, since we have more important things to do. Kurow looked at me and Sissy carefully. "Hey, isn't that Gen dude an inventor?" he asked us.

"You just _**now**_ get his name right?" Sissy asked. Kurow ignored and looked over his shoulder at Issun, who was leaving.

"Wait up, bug! Hey!" he called, but Issun didn't hear him. Kurow sighed, "Dude's pretty fast for being so little. I could've told him Gen's somewhere inside those ruins. . ."he mumbled. I watched Kurow shrug it off and look at us. "Oh, well. It's you, me and Sis now. We can't break our promise to a pretty lady, now can we?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I guess not" I barked. Beside me, Sissy groaned.

"I've got a headache"

* * *

><p>As soon as we entered the ruins, we were mesmerized by the sight. The walls were covered in glowing blue, Lunar markings and there were all these "beeps" and "pings" and vibrations.<p>

And it was also very dark, but that's what made it a cool experience. I heard my sister sigh happily.

"It's nice and cool down here. The temperance outside was rising" she explained. I nodded.

"This place reminds me of the Ark. Remember all those times we played down in the cargo hold? This area is kinda like it, only roomier" I stated. Sissy giggled.

"Sure is" she replied. Kurow smiled, shaking his head.

"What do you think, dude? Doesn't it feel like you're inside a real spaceship?" he asked me, ". . .The technology is the same as what we use on the moon" Kurow said. Sissy nodded.

"Kurow, didn't you say you and I had something we needed to do here?" she asked. Kurow smiled at her. "Don't worry, sister-sister. We'll get it. . .OK, you two, let's go" he said.

And we were off.

I find it very strange that the Moon Tribe would need THIS much security. I mean, everywhere we went, we would come across gaps, locked doors, lightning barriers, dragon head statues that spat energy orbs, you name it, we encountered it.

A while back, at the lightning barrier, Onee-sama's communicator picked up a strong energy reading from somewhere nearby. Kurow looked at the readings from the communicator and recognized them quickly. He said they were the same readings from his ship.

After confirming that his ship was close by, we followed the signal to an small, old storage room where a giant, metal bamboo shoot was.

Kurow's ship.

It was upside down, slightly buried in the ground, with some parts missing and the engine busted. Sissy studied the ship and slowly turned to Kurow. "Do you know how _**long **_it took me and Papa to build _**this**_?" she hissed angrily, pointing at the ship.

Kurow edged away, laughing nervously. Regaining his cool, he spoke calmly. "You know that shooting star everyone's talking about? Yeah, this is it. This was my ride, dude. I had to come here at the "appointed time." At least that's what they told me" he said, shrugging.

Sissy sighed in aggravation. "Oh, jeez" she mumbled.

"Huh? What's that all about? Why are you two being so secretive?" I asked. Why would they keep something from me? We're family, aren't we? Well, Miyumi-chan is my big sister, but Kurow. . .well, . . .I don't know what to call him.

Never mind. It's not important. ". . .There's something you need to know, boy" Kurow said to me, dragging me from my thoughts. "You know why I don't look like I'm from around here? Well, dude, I'm part of the Moon Tribe" he stated.

Sissy and I glanced at one another, awkwardly, with wide eyes, then looked at Kurow.

"Oh, really? That's neat" I say, sarcasm in my voice. Sissy groaned but didn't say anything. Kurow chuckled low in his throat. "I've just been traveling the world since I got here. . .That's what I was told to do. They said my true duty will be revealed while I'm out and about. I have no idea what they mean by "appointed time," so I'm just having fun" he said softly.

Sissy growled low in her throat. "Yeah? Well fun's over! Time to get serious!" she snapped. Kurow ignored her.

"You know why? 'Cause I'm like a baby taking his first steps. You dig? Ha-ha!" he shouted, laughing. Sissy slapped him upside the head, but it wasn't a hard slap. More like a playful slap.

"Kurow"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up"

"Yes ma'am!" he said quickly. I sighed. "This is gonna be a long day. . ."

And we worked our way from there, solving puzzles, running into traps, picking up random stuff, etc., etc. Same stuff Sissy and I have been doing since we came to the mortal world.

Travel, travel, fight demons, help someone, travel, travel, save someone, and so on and so forth. We moved around with ease, since deactivating the traps was as easy as two plus two. Not only that, we were able to find some relics that Issun must've missed.

Most of what we found was broken, but I guess that was to be expected. When we entered a certain area, we noticed that there was more security here than all the other rooms in the ruins.

"The Moon Tribe must have had something really important to hide if there's this much security. Let's check it out, but be careful" Miyumi said softly.

We entered the room with caution, but what we found was something we haven't seen in a long time.

A statue of a brush god. It looked to be a whale. Then, a constellation appeared on the ceiling.

"I'm on it" Onee-sama said plainly. Somehow, she began tracing the whale-shaped outline. And, in a matter of seconds, we were in the realm of the gods.

The strange thing was, I didn't recognize this god. I have never seen him before and I don't know his name. But, anyway, he was accompanied by two smaller whales, who must be his children. They got close to their father and snuggled up to him, which made him shoot them up above the water with his blowhole.

Sissy and I sat there, watching the tiny whales with confusion. Then, they started dancing around us, singing, "Mimi! Chibi! Mimi! Chibi!" And we were just staring at them.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Sissy asked. The whales plopped down in front of us.

"We're your cousins. I am Kyo and this is my twin brother, Kiyoshi. Our father is one of your uncles" one of them explained. We had ANOTHER uncle we didn't know about. Was our mother too lazy to tell us about our family? Oh well, we would sort this out later,, since Kiyoshi and Kyo possibly had something to give us.

Without warning, they started up:

"_O Children of the Great Sun, we are the Young Kyokugami. We are the brothers two, ready to serve the both of you. We are Spirits of the Brush from ancient times. . .and we served your ancestor with our rhymes. Long have we been trapped in this ark. . .with no one to guide us in the dark. You can move steel if you access the two polar fields. . .and to the both of you we give the power of Magnetism to wield!" _they cried, finishing up.

Circling around each other like the symbols of Yin and Yang, they called forth the technique. The symbol flew into our bodies quickly. It was a rush! We could feel the push and pull of magnetic fields moving throughout us. It feel weird, yet at the same time, relaxing.

Soon, the realm faded away and, with no words of advice from our newly discovered uncle, did we find ourselves back in the ruins.

Sissy scratched her head, very confused.

"Hey, how did they know who I was? I'm not even in my animal form" she asked.

"I bet they could sense the pureness of your heart" I suggested. Sissy nodded.

"Yeah, I guess. Well, let's get going. I have a feeling we're close to the center of the ruins. And we need to keep moving or else some demons will show up" she said.

"Kay, let's go!" Kurow murmured. We unlocked some magnetic doors thanks to our new technique and continued from there. The more puzzles we found, the more frustrating this whole thing was becoming. If it weren't just that, Sissy's communicator picked up another signal which wasn't too far away. Kurow thought it might be a damage piece of equipment or something, but no harm in checking, right?

We also solved a particularly cool puzzle using our Vine Technique. I wonder if we'll find any more like that? We'll have to wait and see. Our group moved on from there and, wouldn't ya know it, more demons!

I can see why Onee-sama get fed up with these guys. They keep coming and coming! Honestly, relentlessness was one of the many annoying traits which demons had. Well, we finished 'em off pretty good and found an opening into a cave.

It seems that the Moon Tribe couldn't build in these caves, and instead used them to get around. Pretty sneaky, eh? That wasn't the only thing that was interesting. We found several journals that the scholars must've dropped when evacuating the ruins.

They all talked about markings, the technology, the mysterious sounds, and other things. So far, we have found five of the eight and there's plenty of underground left to cover. When we finally made it out of the cave, we discovered what all the security was for. Or at least, what we thought it was for.

A pair of pink wings.

And some demons were guarding them. I wanted to attack them, but Sissy unsheathed Sakura Strike, her neon pink beam sword and cut through them like rice paper. Once gone, she sheathed it and smiled at us.

Kurow blinked. "Uh. . .you okay, Sis?" he asked, nervously. Sissy nodded.

"Yeah. . .why wouldn't I be?" she asked.

"You just. . .never mind" he sighed, getting off me.

We approached the wings and studied them carefully. Sissy seemed. . .annoyed and slightly upset. "All that security for a stupid pair of wings?" she asked, angrily. Kurow glared at her.

"Hey! These wings let the wearer fly! They might just come in handy when the time is right!" he snapped. Sissy huffed and turned away. Apparently, the wings were resting on a switch for a door, which opened up.

Picking our way through some hallways, we came into a room of computers. This fascinated me, because I love messing with the Ark's computer when Papa's not around. Sissy and I like to hack into certain files to learn more about our heritage.

Maybe these computers could tell us something, no? I reached up with a paw to touch the keyboard, but Kurow shouted at me. "Whoa, boy! Cut it out!" he yelled, "Don't go touching things you don't know about, OK?" he asked me kindly.

Onee-sama shook her head. "Don't worry, he knows what he's doing. So do I" she said softly. Kurow shrugged and began typing at one of the computers. Sissy and I watched him. He was trying to get it to turn on, but it wasn't working.

"Man, what a bust" he said, disappointed. Then, light came on the screen, getting Kurow's attention. "Oh, sweet. It's on now" he murmured happily. Sissy and I glanced at each other and moved over to another computer.

We hoped Kurow wouldn't notice, but sadly, he did.

"Aaagh! Hold up, dudes!" he screamed. What's wrong with trying to find the right code to access some files? You see, Sissy taught me how to hack something. I'm not sure where SHE learned how to hack, but I trust her and that's all that matters.

I finished punching in the last few symbols and the screen started glowing. Sissy clapped lightly and gently patted my head. Kurow sighed in relief. "Oh, never mind. We're good" he stated. We turned to the screen. Its reading was:

New Message

Date: 7th of the Month of Water(June)

Reason: Contact doll and sister

Sender: Unknown

Kurow studied the info. "This message looks like it was sent kinda recent. I can switch it to the language you two understand" he said as he started typing again.

Onee-sama tried to stop him. "Oh, that's okay! Chibi can read Moon Tribe" she said, but too late, Kurow already switched it. "Oh, sorry" he mumbled. Never mind, we listened to the message anyway:

"Greeting and salutations. After Yami was defeated, it broke up into five pieces. *****evil, black lumps became spirits *****and *****found new vessels to inhabit." It buzzed. I noticed Kurow and Sissy looking at it oddly.

"Some of the data's been corrupted. . ." he mumbled. Sissy had ducked down to check underneath the computer and groaned.

"No, it's been tampered with," she paused, showing us the space beneath it, "See? The circuits have been fried slightly. Someone or something tried to erase this message" she hissed. Kurow murmured something to her that I couldn't hear, despite my good ears.

After they were through, we went back to the message. "This is grave news for the land and her inhabitants. The Celestial Plain is our main concern now that*****. We now know*****. By using the power of the Moon Princess*****was a success. *****has been launched and is headed for the air field in Nippon. Using this doll*****will allow you to take hold of*****" and that was it.

What happened next?

The thing started frying and then. . .

**BOOM**!

It blew up!

"Oh, C'mon! That was the important part!" Kurow shouted, very upset. He and I tried our very best, but nothing was working. I could tell from Onee-sama's groans that she was rather annoyed. "Boys. . .boys!. . .HEY BOYS!" she screamed, startling us.

Kurow and I jumped and looked at her, frightened to death. "Stop trying to fix it! It's dead, okay?" she asked, angrily. Our blonde friend nodded and looked at me.

"Sis's right. Oh, well, we tried. . .Guess we can't get it back, dudes. Bummer. I wish I had, you know, some clue as to what that message was about" he said, disappointed. Sissy sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "We'll worry about that later. Right now, we have a mission to do! Let's jet!" she stated, running off without waiting for an answer.

Kurow and I followed her quickly, not making a single sound. Eventually, we came to a large room with several gaps and thousands of lightning bolts circling around an opening in the floor. I saw Kurow and Sissy eyeing it with uncertainty. I would have to agree with them.

This looks pretty dangerous.

"So all the lightning seems to be concentrated here. . .Yeaaah. . .We're not going this way" he said smoothly. Sissy gave him a look.

"Ya think! We'd be fried if we attempted to get across. The rest of me, like my hand, will be smoking!" she shouted. Kurow sighed, looking away from her. "In order to turn off the electricity, we gotta stop the lightning. We should leave here and figure out a way to get to those clouds" he stated.

I really didn't want to walk ALL the way back to the entrance, but we had no choice. We had to get around that lightning barrier somehow, 'cause there's no way we're gonna try to go through it! I heard my sister groan, but nonetheless, she turned around and started back to the entrance. Kurow and I followed close behind.

* * *

><p>It took us awhile, but we managed to find our way out. As soon as we came outside, Sissy moaned.<p>

"Ugh! My feet are KILLING me!" she whined. Flopping onto the ground, she sat down, her feet by her sides. Kurow snickered a little, but stopped when Onee-sama gave him a cold glare. It worked pretty well, because I saw Kurow shiver.

He relaxed himself and we all looked at the lightning bolts raining down from a few overhead storm clouds. I looked at my blonde friend. "Okay. . .now what?" I asked. He turned to look at me.

"So now we have to get to those clouds, right? No sweat for your truly! We'll just use those wings we found in the ruins to fly there!" he exclaimed. He readied himself, "OK. . .Here we go!" he shouted, jumping, and twirling, into the air.

When he landed, he was wearing the pink vest with the six small wings attached. His helmet was tied around his head with a leather strap. "Ta-da!" he cried, striking a pose.

"Stop showing off!" Sissy growled, rubbing the temples of her head with her fingers. Kurow ignored her.

"Now it's time for me to carry YOU TWO around. I just hope the both of you aren't heavy" he joked, looking at Miyumi-oneechan.

She glared at him, hissing. "Kurow! What have I told you about making jokes about my weight? I'm only 95 pounds!" she screamed. Kurow backed up a bit, but remained calm. "Sorry, Sis. But with yours and his weight, it's gonna be a challenge for me to carry the both of ya!" he replied.

Not waiting for Sissy to respond, he looked at me. "You ready, dudes?" he asked.

"Um, sure!" I barked. He nodded.

"OK, let's hit it!" he shouted happily. He flew up and came back down, hooking one arm around me and grabbing Sissy's arm with the other. She was startled. "Kurow! A little warning next time!" she shouted. Kurow said he was sorry. And we flew up. As we got higher, the wind picked up even more. I couldn't hear her very well, but I'm certain Sissy said that she was unsure if we should fly up in this wind current.

And she's right. Because. . .the wind picked up quickly and, with no warning, we found ourselves being tossed around like debris in a tornado.

"Dudes. . .The winds are, like, all in your faces. . .I can't fly straight!" he shouted. I looked around, very scared. "Do something, Kurow!" I wailed. Unfortunately, Kurow wasn't able to hang on and, from what I could tell, he was losing his grip on Sissy. "Kurow! I'm slipping!" she cried.

Kurow tried to hang onto her and focus on the area in front of him, but no such luck.

"Oh no! I'm losing control! And I can't hold onto Sis anymore!" he shouted.

"NO, DON'T LET GO OF HER!" I howled at him, but no use. I could help him pull my sister up. And in a flash, Kurow lost his grip on her arm. . .and she fell.

"AHHHHHHH!" Miyumi-oneechan screamed as she tumbled to the ground.

"SIS!" Kurow shouted.

"SISSY! NO!" I cried. That was it, I couldn't get her back. Kurow wrapped his free arm around my middle, determined not to lose me too. "Hang on little dude!" he shouted over the wind.

And we were blown out over the ocean by the merciless wind.

"BOYS!" I heard my sister shout. She kept calling for us until. . .

We could no longer hear her.

**I'm sorry, I have a bad habit with cliffhangers. But I think it adds suspense. Oh well. . .anyways, I think this went pretty well. Don't forget, this was Chibi's POV and the next chapter will have Miyumi narrating a section. **

**I also think we should take Miyumi out of the story for a bit and focus more on Chibi and Kurow. **

**Not just that, but Miyumi WAS supposed to discover something about the Moon Tribe in this chapter, but that's been moved to the next chapter. Speaking of which, I'm gonna try and update in a few days because I'm going to Las Vegas next week with my mom and grandma. **

**And no. We are not gambling. Well, Kurow, will you do the honors? **

**Kurow: Sure Dudette! Review and Adieu! See ya soon!**


	12. Not a chapter, just a message

**Chibi: Hi guys! Chibi here! This isn't a chapter, sadly. I'm just here to report some things that Yuki wanted me to mention. **

**The next chapter has been started. In fact, it was started before Yuki left on her trip. It might be posted today or tomorrow. **

**Yuki would like to thank everyone for reviewing. If we're lucky, this story might top another story Yuki has written in reviews. **

**Once Heroes is finished, Yuki needs to work out all the details for the spinoff. **

**And finally, this last one is for Oakwillow907. Yuki is considering your request, but needs a description of Willowterasu such as appearance, personality, etc., etc. . .If you can do that, we'd be very grateful. **

**Well, that's it. I hope I did good. *whispers* Yuki said that if I did a good job, she'd give me a cookie. Anyway, see ya soon!**


	13. Miyumi's Discovery, The Boys' Lone Quest

**Hi again, everyone! I have returned! Did you all like the last chapter? I certainly did. Oakwillow907, I'm sorry but it's far too late for Willowterasu to appear. Maybe I can put her in the spinoff. **

**Miyumi's POV **

I knew it.

I _**knew **_Kurow couldn't carry me _**and **_Chibi at the same time. And what were the results?

He dropped me. And I fell, and fell, and fell, all the way down to the ruins.

While my brothers were blown out over the ocean. What's happened to them is unknown to me.

But I do know that I might just die once I hit the ground.

In 3. . .2. . .1!

_**THUD! CRASH! BANG! **_

I dropped onto the steps leading inside the ruins and was rolling downward. I felt sharp objects cut into me, scraping my body as I tumbled. I'm not sure _**how **_it happened, but the ribbon that held my hair into a ponytail, was cut and my blonde locks swished around in front of my face, making it impossible for me to see.

It was only a few minutes before my body stopped moving and I found myself in the first room my brothers and I came into after entering the ruins. I was on my back, my laid out arms above my head, and my golden hair fanned out around me.

I was sore in certain spots, but other than that, I'm okay. I opened my eyes, blinking a couple of times to clear the daze. It's a miracle that I'm still alive, or maybe my guardian angel was looking out for me. Either way, I'm alive.

Painfully, I sat up, feeling my head and other sore spots for blood. All I felt were small cuts, which weren't deep enough to make me bleed, thank goodness! "Well, I've made more graceful entrances. I should be grateful nothing's broken, though" I said to myself, getting to my feet.

I wobbled a little, but managed to balance myself out. I decided to walk around for a bit, to clear my head and think of what to do next. I'm fine, but my brothers. . .oh what am I gonna do? They were blown out to sea and a number of things could've happened:

One: Fate might've been kind and the wind carried them to a safe spot on land.

Two: They might've fell into the water and drowned. . .Or

Three: Fell into the water and were eaten by sharks.

Either way, my brothers are missing or I have no way of finding them. However, that's not my only problem. What am I gonna tell Mama and Papa? Chibi is _**my **_responsibility when they aren't around. And I have to make sure that Kurow's mission is a success. His purpose will save us all. Though it pains me, I can't change his fate, no matter how much I want to.

I'm not quite sure, but I think my father may have prophesized that Chibi and I would come to save the world. If he did, then part of my mission is to make sure Kurow does _**his**_, no matter the cost.

Apparently, while lost in thought, my communicator went off. Sighing, I removed it from my sleeve and checked it. It had picked up yet another signal. I groaned, I really DIDN'T want to track down the source, assuming it might be another broken machine, but I was curious.

As I walked, I noticed that some markings on the walls were glowing brighter than others, possibly reacting with my communicator and leading the way for me. I followed with no hesitation. Though my feet became sore again, I kept going.

Walking around in ruins is hard, especially if you're barefoot, like me. Sore or not, I ignored the pain and followed the glow. Eventually, I came back to the computer room where the three of us found that corrupted message.

Most of the computers had either cracked screens, sparking keyboards or hot circuits. But there was one computer that was in good condition. Stuffing my communicator back in my sleeve, I went up to the device and began typing.

I'm very good with computers, or so my father says anyway. I found hundreds of profiles and old journals in the database. As interesting as it all was, there was one journal that got my attention. It was by someone named Kenta Nakamura and its last update was. . .

A year ago. . .

Shocked, I read the last few entries:

_**Date: 10**__**th**__** of the Month of Affection(January) **_

_**Dear Journal, **_

_**It's been over two centuries since we've escaped the destruction of the Moon. It's a good thing that Her Highness, Leenalee-sama figured out the Demon King's plans for us, or else we'd all be dead right now. Once 25 million, only 10,000 of us remain. **_

And another one. . .

_**Date: 21**__**st**__** of New Life(March) **_

_**Dear Journal, **_

_**We're running out of food! Leenalee-sama is not sure of what we should do. We cannot leave this bunker, or the demons will find us. Is there any hope for us, the remaining members of the Moon Tribe? We can only pray to the gods. . . **_

And the very last entry. . .

_**Date: 14**__**th**__** of u-no-hana Month(April) **_

_**Dear Journal, **_

_**It is our last day in this bunker. We are out of food, water, and medical supplies. Leenalee-sama has instructed us to return to the Moon effective immediately. She's certain the demons have left our old home by now. I'm not sure of what we'll do once we arrive, but I'm certain we will cry. **_

_**Goodbye for the final time. **_

_**Kenta Nakamura **_

And that was it. 10,000 Moon Tribe members were still alive to this day. Unbelievable! But how? Papa said that his race was wiped out. Does he even know about this? If he doesn't, then I'll have to show him myself. Luckily, I have something with me that might help.

Taking out my communicator once more, I opened a tiny hatch on the side. Inside, was a small gray flash drive with blue markings. Quickly plugging it in, I saved every last profile and journal entry on that computer onto my flash drive. Checking to make sure I had every last piece of data and proof, I placed the small device back into my communicator and tucked it away in my robes.

"Incredible. . .Ten thousand members of a race believed to be extinct. . .alive! I'm certain Grandfather will want to see this. And who knows. . .maybe these members will join forces with us against the darkness?" I asked myself.

"Yes. . .that _**would **_be nice, wouldn't it, little girl?" a venom-filled voice from behind me asked.

Startled and scared, I whipped around to find myself surrounded by a small group of demons. . .with King Fury right above me. He looked different though. Granted he still had his mask, but he now had a humanoid form.

His mask now had white banners like the ones on my Papa's headdress, and concealed most of his face, except I could see his mouth. He wore a red kimono shirt with purple trim and golden embroidery, purple hakama, and tall red geta with white tabi socks. At his side, I could see a small wooden guitar.

The group around me consisted of a few Imps, two Bud Ogres, and four Demon Fairies. They fixed me with either hungry gazes or mischief-filled smirks. I swear I saw some of them drool, the nasty creatures! As they started to advance on me, I slowly backed up until I felt the cold, metal wall up against my back.

I wanted to pull out my flute and use the weapon within, but my body wouldn't move. I couldn't even use my powers! I will admit I am afraid, even if I was trained to show no fear. I shut my eyes, not wanting to see their disgusting faces. I wanted to cover my ears too, so as not to hear their amused chuckles.

I must look like such a coward! How can I call myself a Goddess if I can't stand up to a small group of demons? I am an embarrassment to my family! They would probably just disown me in order to hide their shame. But I was at the mercy of a powerful demon. How could I not be scared?

Though I couldn't see it, I'm sure King Fury was smirking. His order was simply two words:

"Grab her"

And I heard the demons rush at me, restraining my hands, grabbing my arms, and forcing me to my knees. I opened my eyes to see King Fury float down and lift up my chin, making me look at his mask.

"Two Miko. . .I might as well start a collection"

**Chibi's POV**

I knew only a few things.

First of all, we were blown away from Ryoshima Coast and flew out over the ocean. And secondly, Kurow had dropped Miyumi. Not on purpose, of course. No, the intensity of the winds and our combined weight was too much for him, which caused his grip to loosen. It was an accident.

The whole thing just that, an accident.

Well, it wasn't long before the sloshing water left our sight and we found ourselves entering Agata Forest. We were coming in very fast. I thought I might land on the soft grass with minor injuries, but Fate was cruel to me.

My head slammed against an old log and I fell to the ground, unconsciousness taking over my body. Everything faded to white.

Suddenly, I felt very light weight, like I was on a boat gently rocking side to side. I couldn't see a thing, but I heard a voice. . .

"…_Hey, Mutt. It's me. You OK? How about Kimiko? She OK?" _it came. Kuni.

Definitely Kuni.

I wanted to answer him, but my mouth wouldn't open. The only thing I could do was listen.

"_You both gotta hang in there, OK? There's something the two of you have to do. I have my own quest to fulfill. Once we're all done, I know we'll see each other again!...You got that?...Mutt…" _Kuni said and then the light returned, making him disappear.

When I woke, I shook the dizziness from my head and looked around for Kuni.

He wasn't there.

Had I seen a vision? An illusion in my own mind?

Whatever I had seen, it wasn't real the Kuni. I hung my head in sadness, that is, until Kurow spoke.

"…Dude, that hurt…I totally wiped out up there, and I never do that" he groaned, holding his head as he stood up. I walked, or rather limped, up to him.

"Doesn't matter. Are you alright?" I asked. Before he had the chance to respond, we were approached by Kokari and his dog, Ume. And we started a little discussion. Kokari had said he wanted to thank me, Kuni and Sissy for saving the forest. When asked where my companion and sister were, I hung my head. Kurow didn't like to butt in, he reminded me about the wings, which we had lost in the crash, and our mission into the clouds.

Kokari said that the best pace to get advice was from Madame Fawn. Kurow thought her name was weird, but let it go. Kokari reminded us about her wanting to be paid for her fortunes and said she had returned to her cave. Having no other options, we set off.

I'm pretty sure I heard Kurow mumble, quote on quote, "I seriously hope Waka doesn't find out about me getting my fortune told…"

I sighed, not caring in the least. We made it into the cave, which was cold and eerie. I hated the feeling, so I just charged right in. Madame Fawn was a little upset that some demons had taken her fortune-telling equipment, so we had to go fetch it all back.

I never realized how much work Mama did until now. It's frustrating how some people can't handle their own problems and rely on others for help. Don't think me bad, I love helping people, but some tasks are so stupidly simple that it's crazy to have someone else do it.

Once we got all of her stuff, she gave us a free fortune. I didn't listen to it much, but I heard her mention a "ghastly market", most likely being the Demon Market. Ugh! Did we _have _to go back there? That place was a living nightmare! I have never seen my sister so disgusted, and I myself have never been so chilled to the bone.

Well, from what our fortune was, it's obvious we're going back. Kurow wasn't exactly pleased with our fortune, but he went along with it anyway. And we left without question, without argument. The minute we left the cave, I saw five blue fairies dancing out over the water. Kurow tilted his head.

"Yo, what are those?" he asked, as we watched the creatures hover in a circle.

"They're fairies, Kurow!" I yipped.

"What? You know what they are?" he replied, a bit surprised.

"Yeah, our ticket to that 'ghastly market'"

"Well then. . .Let's see if you're right, boy" And we went down near the shoreline for a closer look. They were fairies indeed! Without saying a word, I traced a star in the center of the group. It disappeared into the lake, leaving a portal in its place.

Kurow stared at it. He seemed shocked, freaked, and amazed at the same time. "Whoa. . .No turning back now. Let's go!" he said. With no regrets, we jumped in and fell all the way, just as we had done before.

It was some time before I saw the bottom of the hole. Kurow was the first to land and, as I had done to Kuni, I believed I might land on him. At the last minute, however, he spun out of the way. He sort of glared at me.

"Sorry" I whispered. He didn't say anything because the sight of the marketplace surprised him. I could smell the horrible treats and revolting breath of demons. Kurow just stared, wide eyed. "Whoa. This place is off the chain!" he cried.

I sweat dropped, glancing at him. _'Well, everyone has their own opinions. . .I guess. . .'_ I thought lightly. I swore I saw a shiver go up my friend's spine.

"It's so ghostly. . .So this is the Demon Market," he paused, and without warning, jumped into the air and played his flute, "I'm getting goose bumps just being here" he murmured. I think I can what Sissy doesn't like about his attitude.

Well, Kurow plopped back down on the ground and looked at me. "I so wanna check it out, but I don't like they'll like non-demon dudes. Any ideas around that?" he asked. I thought for a moment, until I remembered the masks me, Kuni and Sissy made the last time we were here.

I shuffled through our bag and pulled out Kuni's mask, giving it to Kurow. He took it blankly and stared it. "What? You want me to wear _this_?" he asked, putting a lot of emphasis on the last word.

"Duh, it's all we've got!" I barked. Kurow tilted his head, thinking.

"Well, I guess it could work. . ." he paused, going over my artwork, "Dude, this picture sucks. You got anything more in line with my good looks?" he asked. His comment hurt my feelings, even though I hadn't put much effort into drawing the picture. "I-I could give you Sissy's or mine, but they're not very good either" I explained.

Kurow huffed in annoyance. "Well. . .Can't you, like, redraw it or something?" he asked, twirling that flute again, "Hold on. Make sure it looks cool, OK?" he asked again. I growled, angrily pulling out the Holy Ink. I drew a random picture, whatever came into my head first. Basically, I drew the symbol you'd see on a Black Imp's mask for both of us. I wasn't gonna waste any more time.

"OK. Now our secret identities will, like, remain secret. Here we go!" he shouted, taking off surprisingly.

"Kurow! You can't. . . ! I mean. . . ! Ugh, never mind!" I barked, hurrying after him. Since I didn't wanna stay long, I just ran past all the stands in the first room, into the news room, down the hall, and into the back room, where we found what we were looking for. "Yo! Those are my wings!" Kurow shouted.

I followed his gaze over to a Green Imp, who was wearing the same pink wings we found in the Ruins. Without warning, Kurow dashed right over there with me having to follow quickly. The Imp glance at us. "Hmm? Do you want something from me?" he asked, wiggling side-to-side. The two had a little argument over the wings, Kurow wanting them back, and the Imp giving the "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers" speech. It came to the point where the Imp decided to settle things with a fight.

It was simple:

If we won, we'd get the wings back.

If the Imp won. . .well. . .he'd get Kurow's clothes.

I don't think Kurow would want to walk around like that, but he agreed, his voice shaky. The fight wasn't much, not even one bystander would watch. We hacked away at the Imp and his buddies. It took less than five minutes. What a waste of time!

We came out as the winners, much to the disappointment of the latter. He believed the match to be an easy win, but was wrong. He handed over the wings, promising that if we lost them again, he'd keep them. We were successful in our search for the wings, but our joy was short lived. I noticed and had to point out to Kurow that a feather was missing. We were bummed, but feeling sorry for ourselves wasn't going to find us another feather.

Seeing no feathers in the back room made me want to try the arena where that tournament had been held. Hopefully we'd find something there. The little guard I had dealt with before just let us in, assuming that the two of us would be eaten anyway.

When we came in, there was a small crowd and the Witch Queen was back in her chair, wrapped of in bandages. A usual, she held her butcher knives tight in her injured fists. She was gritting her teeth in what seemed to be anger and pain.

Kurow looked over her with interest. "So that big ol' head must be the big cheese," he paused, looking confused for some reason, "Looks like she wiped out one too many"

I sweat dropped, mainly in pure confusion. "I don't get it. . ." I mumbled. I noticed the MC standing before her chair, a giant fan in his hand. "How you feeling, boss?" he asked, looking up at the old hag. The Queen snarled and spat and hissed in rage. She obviously was remembering how she had been beaten by three children.

The tiny demon backed up a bit. "Hey, don't take it out on me. How's about a nice breeze to relax ya?" he asked worriedly, as he fanned his mistress, "Feels good, don't it?" he wondered. The Witch Queen started to relax herself, allowing the cool breeze to blow onto her injured form.

The movement of the fan caused a feather to slip off, fly into the air, and land next to the hag's seat. We stared at it. "That feather. . ." Kurow murmured as I came up beside him. He turned to look at me. "You remember what my fortune said? _'The feather you gain will allow you to fly on the breath of gods'_" he paused, looking back at the spot beside the chair, "You think she was talking about that feather?" he asked. I guessed it might be, but I was so nervous to even consider to go and get it. Kurow leaned in close and whispered to me, "C'mon. . .Just gotta sneak up there. . ." he said, advancing onward.

I was scared, but I followed on light paws. "Wait for me!" I whispered quietly. We snuck around the edge of the crowd, tiptoeing gently. Luckily, no one seemed to pay us any attention. Once we grabbed the feather, we ducked behind the Witch's chair.

"Yup, just as I thought. It looks just like the feathers on my wings. Just gotta figure out how to reattach it. . ." he mumbled. He fiddled with it, until he finally the thing to fit. Once fixed, he showed it to me, spinning like crazy. "Sweet! Whadya think? Looks even sturdier than before, eh?" he asked, putting the wings away, "Now we can get up to that Thundercloud" he said proudly.

A bright light got our attention.

Another constellation! And one of a horse at that! I trace the lines and was soon in the golden realm I loved so much. I saw Uncle Kazegami riding down the path towards me. Then, out of nowhere, Young Kaze appeared from his father's fan, galloping alongside him. He stopped once he saw me.

"Chibi! There you are! Where's Mimi?" he asked. I explained how I had "lost" my sister. "Oh, well when you find her, tell her I said 'Hi'" was all he said. Then he began his little speech:

"_O Child of the Great Sun, I am the Young Kazegami. I bring the winds that lift the wings of all creatures. May the power of Galestorm bring you ever higher! Soar to new heights on your journey!"_ he finished, his little pinwheel spun quickly, the power appearing above him.

It flew briskly into my body and I could feel the rushing winds engulf me. Once I was back in the arena, Kurow made a comment about my new power and made me play a dirty trick on the MC. I made the wind blow in the opposite direction, pushing back the fan. Gave him a scare, I did.

Kurow seemed impressed. "Sweet! That was Galestorm!" he shouted. We didn't notice at the time, but. . .our masks blew off. Kurow looked at me, "Now we can repel any powerful winds! We're unstoppable! Ha-ha-ha-ha!" he laughed, twirling his little flute.

I shook my head, groaning. That is, until I noticed that we were surrounded by demons. I lowered my body into an attack crouch, getting Kurow's attention. "Huh?" he asked. Then he noticed our situation.

"Oops" he said with a sweat drop.

"I have a feeling that if Sissy were here, she'd call us bakas" I replied. Kurow nodded.

"Yeeaaah. . .I bet she would. . .Sis would have called that little stunt we just pulled 'stupid and careless'. Now I can see what it is about me that bugs her to death. . ." he agreed. On the off note, the Witch Queen flared up. "It's them! It's them!" she screamed, jumping off her chair.

"I knew. . .you would return," she shouted, her eyes going red, "I have never been so humiliated in my life. . .You will pay with your lives! I'll tear you to pieces!" she screamed, roaring like crazy. Kurow stared at her, sweating in the process. "Looks like we're in the danger zone, dude," he paused to hop on my back. I knew then and there, we had to go.

"Guess our only option is to. . .RUN AWAY!" he screamed. The Witch Queen tried to dice us, but we were too quick. We rushed from the arena, trying to find a quick escape route. Kurow saw a shopping cart we could use. He climbed in while I pushed.

We had ourselves nice frightening chase scene. I had to get the cart over obstacles while avoiding knives being thrown at me from behind by the old hag. We had to take a detour through another hallway since the front gate was locked. The passageway we took was rather large, but we got through.

The old bat made the place shake, making it hard for me to navigate. Rocks fell from the ceiling and nearly crushed us every time. Finally, we reached a small passageway, one the Queen couldn't fit through. As soon as we realized she couldn't fit, we ditched the cart and headed for the door.

When we made it back to the entrance, Kurow frantically started jumping.

"Bummer! I can't reach!" he said nervously. There was a loud crash behind us.

The Witch Queen had made her own door, startling us. I shrunk back, but Kurow smirked.

". . .Psyche!" he shouted, putting on the wings, "Did you forget we got these wings back?" he asked me.

"Uh. . .no!" I stammered. Kurow smiled, picking me up. "Time to bid this place. . .a fond adios!" he shouted happily. Meanwhile, the old hag tried to follow us, but. . .hit her head and knocked herself out cold.

I snickered.

Once we were outside, we were ready to take flight. Kurow carried me upwards and into the air. Soon we were so many feet in the air that the land below us look like a land model the military would use. The winds were being jerks again, trying to throw us around. Kurow had me use Galestorm to push back in the opposite direction.

That worked of course. It was a simple process: the wind blew one way, I blew it another way. Kurow was nervous. How could I tell? His palms were wet and I could feel it on my fur. Can one blame him? We're over a thousand feet in the air, the winds are blowing like crazy, and we don't have much flying experience.

Took us a while to get there, but we made it. A big, fluffy white cloud with a whole heck of a lotta voltage spewing out of it. I raced upward, looking for items and talking to people at the same time. I don't mean to be rude, but I'm glad Sissy isn't here. She would probably want to get this all over with, if it could be helped. Uncle Susano is always saying she needs to approach things with more patience.

Well, there were a lot of openings in the cloud, not to mention homes. The people there were just chilling, having a good time. One girl made us make a rainbow appear which also served as a bridge for us. Once we were up top, we found the source of the lightning.

A band was playing.

You had a girl on guitar a man strumming away, and a guy on drums. It seemed that the more they played, the more power the lightning had. Kurow stared, stunned.

"Whoa! Dude! Their music is, like, generating electricity" he said. I nodded. We walked over to them, Kurow talking loudly. "Hey! You guys! Yeah, the ones with the instruments! Can you guys do me a solid?" he asked.

The girl on guitar glared at him. "You're messin' with our groove, man!" she shouted in a snobby way. The man on rums looked at us as well. "Can't you see we're trying to play here!" he asked, shouting over the loud sounds. Kurow just stared at them.

"Sorry, dudes. My name's Kurow. I need you guys to do me a solid. If I may be so bold, could I get you guys to stop jamming for a bit? That electricity is blocking a place we need to get into" he stated coolly. The snotty guitarist stuck her tongue out at him. "Forget it!" she shouted.

The drummer said something similar. "Yeah, man. . .No dice!" he screamed.

Kurow looked shocked. **(Heh heh! Irony! XD!)** "Why not!" he asked, very surprised. The guitarist didn't look at him, but continued playing her part. "Because some cat named Gen asked us to send some electricity to him!" she replied, making sure to hit the right note.

Kurow smiled. "Great! I'm trying to help him out too!" he said. The girl hardly seemed interested in what he had to say. "Good for you, but if you don't have the love for music, we won't help you!" she cried. Kurow held his head up, a fist to his chest.

"Are you kidding, dude! No music, no life! I'm all about the tunes!" he stated proudly.

I sighed. "Yes, I'm sure you are. . ." Nothing but pure sarcasm coming out. I am turning into my sister.

The drummer seemed happy with Kurow's statement. "OK. . .Let's see if you've got a musician's soul!" he shouted. The test was simple: in order to show our love for music, we had to keep rhythm with the band. How did we do that? We had to slice up music notes.

Not hard at all. It was kinda fun. It got a little difficult to slice the notes and restore my Ink pots at the same time, but I managed. As soon as we were done, the band judged our skills as "You Rock!". Very satisfying. Not only that, but a constellation appeared to us.

Two in one day? Score! It was the tiger one. I traced the outline of stars excitedly. Then, the realm of the gods was all around me. There was mighty roar and Uncle Gekigami dropped from somewhere high up. He stared down at me, showing his sharp teeth. I back up a little.

"Hi Uncle Gekigami" I whimpered.

He just stared at me. "Hello Chibi" he hissed, pulling an arrow into his bow. It was shot with Young Gekigami riding on it. I dodged it just in time, barking madly. Little Geki flipped multiple times, landing on the ground. He grabbed the arrow with his mouth and looked at me.

"Hey Chibi! Huh? Where's Mimi at?" he asked, looking around for my sister. Like I did with Young Kazegami, I told him what had happened. He was upset, but a growl from his father reminded him of his reason for being there. "Oh, sorry Papa!" he called to his father. He turned to me:

"_O Child of the Great Sun, I am the Young Gekigami. The might and power of the storms is mine to command. I come from a long line of those who control thunder. We have long fought beside your Mother. Now we will pass that power on to you and your sister. It is my honor to bequeath to you the Thunderbolt! May it be a beacon of hope to you on your quest!" _he finished.

With the toss of his arrow, the technique appeared and rushed into my body. The power and burning feel of lightning coursed through my veins. I felt my heart beat faster. It was thrilling almost. When the light faded and I returned to the cloud, the drummer asked if we had met Gekigami. When he realized that we had, he asked us to use the technique on a nearby box.

I used Thunderstorm and out popped a small drum. The drummer explained how it gave the user immunity from lightning. He also said he could get us down on the ground, which was surprising. I certainly wasn't going to jump over the edge that much I knew. So, with no other way down, we agreed to his services.

We waited patiently while the band started to play. The beat began to pick up almost immediately. Kurow began sweating nervously while I became confused. A moment later, a small thunder cloud appeared above us. That's when we realized we were going to be zapped down. Lightning crackled and flew everywhere.

"Here we go now!" the drummer shouted, giving his drums one last hard smack. Lightning shot at us, we ducked our heads and then. . .

BAM!

We found ourselves falling down to the ground below. Now we're going to find out how painful it was when Sissy landed.

I could see the Ruins as we neared the ground. We were coming in fast. Any second we would hit the earth.

**BOOM! **

The lightning struck the ground, leaving the two of us upside down and smoking. I heard the small drum beat lightly.

"W-wipe out. . ." Kurow groaned, twitching painfully.

**Normal POV (Just for a moment) **

"What in the world was that!" King Fury screamed from where he stood, floating in midair. A small demon looked up at his master in fear.

"I-I d-d-don't know, s-sir!" he stuttered.

King Fury glared underneath his mask. "Then go find out, you idiot!" he shouted. There had been a loud crashing sound from somewhere on the surface. The little demon nodded and raced off with some help. Miyumi and Kagu looked up at the ceiling from their orb-like cells.

"What do you think that was, Asa?" Kagu asked, looking at her friend in the cell beside her own.

"I'm not certain, but I think it's our rescue team. . ." Miyumi murmured, staring at the ceiling.

**Chibi's POV (Back to the show) **

"But the drummer managed to send us here in one piece, amazingly enough. . .A bit off target though" Kurow said as he got up and rubbed his head. I got up and shook myself. "Well, at least we made it back" I yipped, trotting to my partner's side.

Kurow smiled at me and looked down into the Ruins. "C'mon, boy. We gotta beat King Fury and get back Gen and Sis and Kagu. And don't forget the promise I made to the hot scholar lady" he said, lightly turning his flute.

I nodded, remembering everything. I have forgotten a thing. Not even a single detail. Kurow nodded.

"Good. You got my back. Let's do this, partner!" he shouted.

"OK! Like my Sissy says: Let's jet!" I barked. And we bolted into the Ruins. Once inside, you'll never guess who we saw.

The same scholar woman who passed out in Sei-an and became Kurow's love interest. Kurow smirked happily.

"Hey there, beautiful! What are you doing here?" he asked very cool and smooth like. Guess we must have startled her, because when she turned around, she was nervous. "Kurow. . ."

"I thought I said to leave the rescuing to me" the blonde stated.

"I know. . .But I couldn't sit around and not do anything. . ." she confessed.

"But it's dangerous out here by yourself" Kurow said. I nodded in agreement. The woman didn't look into our eyes, but spoke anyway. "Dangerous? Danger does not concern me," she said, looking up quickly, "People's lives are at stake, and they need help!" she cried.

Her face must have sparkled, because Kurow turned all lovey dovey and little pink hearts seemed to pour out of him. He started wiggling and his eyes looked distant.

"Yeah, baby! That's what I always say! Danger's not a concern when you got peeps that need saving. You got a beautiful heart to match your beautiful face, Miss" he said, smiling in pretty boy way. The woman covered her face, which must have gone red with embarrassment. "Oh, go on. . ." she murmured.

Kurow's voice got her to relax. "Just wait outside the ruins for me, and I'll bring out Gen just like I promised!"

"B-But. . ." she stammered. Kurow started twitching again. He looked nervous this time.

"No buts, OK? However, I do have a favor ask. Once I've rescued Gen and put down King Fury. . .Um. . .I was wondering. . .if you'd. . .Go on a date with me!" he shouted, his nervousness gone. The woman's face flushed again. "A what?" she asked, shocked.

Kurow smiled and relaxed himself. "It sounds uncool, but honestly, I've never been on a date before"

"Okaaay. . ." the woman agreed, nervous.

Kurow smiled brightly. "So it's gotta be with you! My first date has to be with you!"

". . .I. . .I don't know what to say. . ." she breathed.

"We can go as friends for now, OK? The truth is, this little dude here is the closest thing I have to a friend. . ." he said, looking at me. "Thanks" I mumbled. He turned back to the scholar. "So why don't we agree to be friends first?" he asked.

The woman averted her gaze to her feet and began fiddling with her hands. "O-OK. . .Then I guess. . .I'm. . .going on a date. . .With you. But make sure you bring back Gen safe and sound first" she mumbled, adding the last part. I assume she wanted to get that fact through Kurow's head.

My friend grinned. It looked like a grin a boy would give when he spoke to his crush. "You got it, babe! I'm all over it! I'm not gonna let nothing put the kibosh on our date!" he added, holding his fist to his chest proudly.

I looked at him, sweat starting to form on my head. "I'm sure that if we don't hurry, King Fury's gonna put the kibosh on Kagu" I reminded him. He said nothing, nor did the woman. She walked away calmly. I guess she trusts us with Gen's safety.

We moved along from there. And I know what you're probably thinking…

Where's Miyumi?

Unfortunately, I'm not so sure of her whereabouts. I saw her fall, and that's it. There was no blood above the ruins and her body wasn't there. Either she fell inside the ruins or a demon dragged her off like fresh kill. My first guess must be right, because I found a light blue hair ribbon, the same one Sissy used to tie up her hair, and it's torn to shreds. I could also smell her scent. Cherry blossoms and honey. As much as I wanted to follow it, I knew that she'd want me to rescue Gen. She and I go by Grandfather's teachings. He said: _"If you wish to prove that you have what it takes to be a god, you must be willing to put your life on the line for the sake others. . ."_ I've never forgotten that statement.

He's right. I've got to do this. We didn't bother going around in the maze again. Instead, we ran through all the electric barriers and nothing happened. This drum is amazing! I can't feel a thing. It sorta tickles almost. And we arrived at the circle of lightning quicker than before.

Kurow was pleased. We believed that as long as we had the drum, we'd be okay.

Yeah, not the case.

As soon as we touched the electric circle, the drum went crazy, beating faster than ten hearts combined. It was like a deranged animal, vicious and uncontrollable. Before we knew it, the little thing exploded and everything went white. It was like that for a few moments, until it faded, revealing the open space before us.

The barrier was gone, leaving a clear path with some stairs descending to a lower level. We kept going, as far down as the ruins would take us. So many traps, demons and puzzles. I don't know why it just occurred to me, but I have a feeling that whatever the ruins were meant to protect, is something dangerous and deadly. . .something the Moon Tribe had never wanted to see daylight ever again.

What is it? A super weapon? I know the Moon Tribe were a very advanced race, Papa told me so. That explains why Sissy and I are so smart. I also have the feeling that this thing I what King Fury's after. He must be out for revenge. That's about all I can think of at this point.

I saw many symbols on the way down. Symbols representing "Strength", "Honor", "Life", "Survival", "Desire", and "Wisdom". I can read and write in Moon Tribe. It's by far the coolest and most complicated language I have learned. I get it all through Papa, Sissy and Aunt Kaguya. Anyway, we made our way even farther below the surface.

It's kinda dark, but I manage. I can smell King Fury's scent, Kagu's scent and. . .Sissy's scent? Did she pass this way? That can't be. There's no way she could have gotten around that barrier without hurting herself. Why do I have the horrifying feeling that she's been-

"Hey, boy! Look it!" Kurow said, pulling me away from my thoughts. We were standing in front of a big door with red symbols. We're already here? That was quick! Before I could look for the switch to open the door, it opened by itself.

Revealing another door, and another, and another, until we saw a black opening. There was a small noise then-

_**BANG! **_

An acid like scent along with demonic energy spat forward, washing over us like a tidal wave. Kurow covered his nose, looking ahead. "That's King Fury's foul stench. I can tell. This guy's on a whole other level," he paused, straightening up, "I didn't think he'd be so diesel. . ." he murmured.

I saw him shiver. I bet he's getting scared. "Don't tell me you're just now being a chicken!" I yipped. Kurow glared at me, defending himself. "Whoa, boy. I'm not getting cold feet here. We're a dynamic duo, right? We can take him. So let's do this!" he said. We charged in there, like two brave warriors.

"Afterwards, we can go find Sis!" he added.

It took a while, but we did it. We found Gen. He was in a small control room, frantically running around, sweating like crazy. He looked frightened and exhausted at the same time. Kurow placed his hands on his hips. "Yo. . .That's gotta be that Gen dude!" he said coolly.

We approached the scared inventor with care. At least, _I _wanted to, but Kurow decided to give him a heart attack. "Yo! Gen!" he shouted. Gen jumped a little, turning around quickly. Once his eyes hit Kurow, he stared in wonder. "Hmm? Oh-oh-oh! You're. . .the boy from the shooting star! Never thought I'd be seeing you here" he whispered excitedly.

Kurow nodded, asking him what he was doing and why he was in the ruins. The old man looked back at him in sadness and fear.

"The demons brought me here, forced me to fix this crazy machine"

"Do you always do what demons tell you?" Kurow inquired.

Gen sweated nervously. "Wh-what choice did I have? Besides, I'm an inventor. I was intrigued by these contraptions. And I fear I am not the only prisoner"

"We know that. There's a girl named Kagu who has Miko powers. King Fury kidnapped her" Kurow said. Gen shook his head.

"She's not the only Miko whose here. About two hours ago, I saw some demons bring in a teenage blonde girl. She was apparently snooping around and got caught. I guess King Fury will drain them both. Oh, those poor girls. . ." he breathed sadly.

My jaw dropped as I realized who he meant. Kurow stared in horror, then grit his teeth. "That freaky dude has my sister! Oh, he's gonna pay big time now!" he growled. Gen backed away slightly. "I'm so sorry about all this. Like I said, I was forced to fix these machines. And now I've fixed them all. I just need to pull this lever, and-" he mumbled, reaching for the lever.

Kurow snapped form his angry thoughts just in time to see. "No! Don't do it!"

Gen jumped, startled by his outburst. "Ayah! Why, what, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Stand aside. I'm gonna trash it!" my friend shouted, pulling out his flute. He jumped forward. Time seemed to slow down almost. It made everything seem more dramatic. However, the flute was just an inch from the lever, when a mass of demonic energy shot up, knocking Kurow away. "Aagh!" he cried, landing on his stomach.

Smoke covered the control platform. I could smell King Fury's stench. He's in this very room. The energy lifted into air and turned into King Fury. He seems to have taken a humanoid form almost. It's hard to look at. He glared down at us. I could see his mouth, but not his entire face. He was smirking.

"Great gears. . . ! It's Sugawara!" Gen screamed, "How is this possible? He's dead!"

"No, he's back. And he calls himself King Fury now" Kurow said as he struggled to get up. Without a word, King Fury floated down to the platform and reached for the lever. Kurow became nervous. "Not good, dude. .That lever. . ." he mumbled, running towards the controls.

Before he could even set foot on the platform, King Fury pulled the lever and a loud rumbling erupted through the ruins. Kurow stopped dead. "Oh, snap! It's gonna wake up. . . !" he shouted. When Gen asked him what he meant, Kurow told him about a lunar giant called Daidarabotchi.

I could see the robot, I think it's a robot, waking up. Kurow mumbled something under his breath. I didn't catch it on the count of King Fury's evil chuckle.

"I will destroy you worthless humans down to the last child. You're a vile, abhorrent race. You all deserve the death that I give." And with that, he vanished, possibly going to the robot. We felt more rumbling and rocks started raining down from above. I heard a sound that only a moving platform would make.

Kurow stared in horror and shock. "That thing will wipe out Ryoshima and Sei'an City in a flash!"

"WHAT!" I screamed. Gen was sweating heavily now. When he asked what we should do, Kurow told him to leave and that that scholar woman was waiting at the entrance. While Gen was more concerned about us, Kurow said that he promised the scholar that we'd bring him back safe. We also had to stop Daibarabochi. Gen left quickly, telling us to be careful.

Without talking, we bolted up the platform. Kurow did a little typing and we were teleported somewhere deeper underground. I looked ahead and saw that we were across the room which held the robot. Inside, the robot was huge! It was like standing right beside the Ark almost!

Kurow said something about Diabarabotchi's controls being on top his head and that there might be a way to stop it from there. I wanted to be the one to stop it, but Kurow said only a Moon Tribe member could control it. I'm only half Moon Tribe, so I guess that doesn't count.

"I'll just, like, fly up there and put an end to this!" Kurow shouted, after putting on his wings.

It was a nice attempt, but King Fury appeared out of the blue and struck him down. He slammed into the hard floor.

"Kurow!" I barked, hurrying over to him. He figured that, if flying wasn't going to work, we'd climb up the bad boy instead.

**Sorry about the short stop. Continue on to the next chapter. Review this one if you want to. **


	14. Family Feud,Ayames Cure,and Akuro's Show

**Miyumi: *looks around* Well, hi guys. So sorry for the 3 month wait. Yuki has been very, VERY busy! 10****th**** grade is tough! But, we're back and kicking! **

**Chibi: Yup, so let's get rolling with chapter 14! **

**Kurow: Here it is.**

**Miyumi's POV **

Of all my luck! I've been here for over two hours, being held captive by King Fury, who, ironically, is also my deceased grandfather, Sugawara. I'm sitting in a red, see-through orb-like prison with Kagu beside me. King Fury wants to use us as an unlimited power source. I swear, he's gone insane.

Oh wait, _all _demons are insane! We're floating above some robot that looks like a giant rabbit. King Fury left moments ago to deal with something, leaving us to sit here in our prison cell. Below us, the platform started moving us upward towards the surface. I have a feeling that this robot is what he's been looking for all along.

I heard some gasping noises and some yips. I looked down to see Chibi and Kurow on top of the robot's head. "Finally! We made it!" he cried. He began typing quickly, not seeming to notice us. I growled low in my throat and pounded on my cell.

"BOYS!" I screamed. Kagu was unconscious beside me. It was surprising that she wasn't woken up by my scream. My brothers looked up in shock, horror and pure surprise.

"Sissy!?" Chibi shouted.

"Sis!?" Kurow called.

Just then King Fury appeared in a blast of smoke and boy was he mad. "You meddling brat!" he screamed, striking the ground with his lightning dagger. Kurow almost got hit, but dodged just in time. "Oogh. . ." he groaned.

"Kurow. . ." I breathed. King Fury began charging his dagger again. Chibi lowered his body to the ground, growling madly. "Oh no ya don't!" he barked, jumping at him. The demon jabbed the knife at Chibi, electrocuting my poor little brother and knocking him away.

I watched in horror while my brothers tried to catch their breath. Chibi got up quickly, lowered in an attack crouch like before. King Fury glared down at him, at least I think he did.

"Child of the Sun! Why!? Why do you and your sister help these humans!? They. . .They are despicable. They steal! They murder! They betray each other! They're a loathsome species! Their only virtue is that they die so easily!" he shouted.

He makes it sound like humans ruined his life! What happened to him while he was alive? What did those people in the government do to him? Whatever happened to him, caused him to die with anger, pain, and betrayal locked within his mind.

Chibi shook his head. "No! You've got it all wrong!" he yipped. Kurow struggled to stand. When he managed to do so, he started talking. ". . .Mr. Sugawara? Look, I don't have enough friends to have ever been betrayed, but I kinda get where you're coming from, dude. And I do know this: Humans ain't half as bad as you make 'em out to be. I know you had some rough times, and I feel for ya, dude. But, not all humans are bad, once you give them a chance. Mr. Sugawara. . .You are so wrong on this" he said, pulling out his whip.

Even before we sent him down here, I've _**never **_heard Kurow give such a heart-filled and understanding speech. So lovely, but I don't think King Fury cares the least.

"Silence!" he screams.

And I'm right.

"Enough! Enough of your lies! You understand NOTHING!" he roared, demonic energy shooting out everywhere. It's clear he's had enough. I've had enough of all this nonsense, too! I'd love to fight him, but I know he has no intention of releasing me.

Kurow scrambles to the controls for Daidarabotchi and begins typing frantically. He tells Chibi to hold off King Fury while he works on shutting the robot down. King Fury growls and backs off, electricity surrounding him. Then he flies up high with his dagger crackling. Before he can make a move, though, Chibi uses Galestorm.

It sends my grandfather spiraling downward headfirst. He remains unconscious for a few moments, allowing Chibi to tear at him furiously. "That's for kidnapping my sister!" he screams, "And this is for all the trouble you've caused!" King Fury gets up suddenly, smacking my brother away.

"You are weak! You know nothing of the art of combat! How do you expect to be a god if you are not strong enough?" he hissed, gathering dark energy into his body. He charges headfirst into Chibi, almost sending him over the edge.

He continues to dive bomb my brother with electric attacks and strike him with dark matter. I'd give anything to kick King Fury's butt, however I cannot escape my prison cell. Chibi seems to be doing okay without me, though. He's bale to dodge some of the attacks and fight back with Galestorm and some cuts from Tsumugari.

King Fury shoves Chibi away and flies up high, dark matter covering him like a cloak. "Now you will learn the true meaning of pain!" he screamed. Kurow immediately asked Chibi to guide him up to King Fury. I'm sure why he would ask that, then I remember.

I know what Kurow can do.

Once Kurow is near King Fury, the demon laughs. "You don't have the power to lay even one finger on me!" he cackles. Kurow explains that placing a hand on the demon is not necessary. He can suck out King Fury's power with his pendant. Somehow, I think I may be able to do that as well.

King Fury tries to escape, but the suction force is so strong that it pulls him right back towards Kurow.

"Gyaaargh! No! My power. . .You've taken my power!" he screams. Once all the energy has left his body, the force pushes King Fury away, and almost sends him off the edge. He staggers and spins, falling to the ground, completely dizzy. Chibi and I snicker.

Then, he moves in for the kill. He starts tearing, scratching, and biting King Fury everywhere, I can see teeth and claw marks on his neck. Blood oozes from his hands and back. Some cloth for his robe is either on the floor or caught in my brother's teeth.

Then, King Fury explodes with demon energy, sending my brother flying.

"CHIBI!" I scream. King Fury laughs and flies up high. He twirls around a couple of times and some exorcism slips with purple writing appear. Upon looking at them further, I notice that they are not exorcism slips.

They are Curse Slips.

He throws them at Chibi, who has Kurow mounted on his back. One slip hits my brother and blood spills out of his left hind leg. He whimpers in pain. Just when we thought things couldn't get worse, Daidarabotchi starts moving. It sends its hand towards the boys, who manage to avoid, thank goodness!

Chibi guides Kurow back to the controls and then the battle resumes. King Fury keeps striking Chibi and Kurow with the Curse Slips and his electric attacks while Chibi fights back with Galestorm and his little tackles.

However, after Chibi attacks King Fury while he's without his demon powers, King Fury is able to do something I never thought of.

He can duplicate himself.

Now, flying over the boys' heads were TWO King Furies. Two against two, huh? I suppose that's fair. But wait! Are they not just fighting Chibi? Kurow's helping too, right? Before I can put my thoughts in order, the King furies fly up to my eye level.

"Hmm. . .I wonder how strong this little miko is? Let's see how powerful you are, my dear! I. . .I mean we. . .are just dying to fight you" the two said in perfect unison. Suddenly, my orb-like prison vanished and I crashed onto the platform.

"Sissy!" I heard Chibi scream. I sat up as he ran to me. "Are you alright?" he asked, his amber eyes filled with concern.

I smiled and pushed a few strand of golden hair out of my face. "_Oui_" I said. The laughter of the King Furies gets our attention. "You little brats don't stand a chance! You die here and these ruins shall be your graves!" They shouted, crashing into us.

I skidded backward, almost going over the side. Chibi almost fell too, if I hadn't grabbed him and hauled him up. I pulled out my flute, twirled it, and carefully pulled out the bright pink blade.

"Now. . .Sakura Strike. . .Unsheathe!" I shouted, calling forth my beam sword. Chibi dealt with one King Fury, I dealt with the other. They flew around us, making it almost impossible to deal a blow. One of them grabbed me by my hair and prepared to cut me with his dagger. Thankfully, Chibi slammed into him from behind, making him release me.

I heard a cutting sound and realized that the dagger had taken maybe 8 inches of my hair off. It was a clean cut and a stumbled away. Regaining my balance, I saw the chopped hair on the floor. Oh heck, I could worry about my appearance later!

Right now, I had to defeat a demon and turn off a doomsday weapon. We clashed for a little while longer, spilling blood every now and then. When King Fury melded back into one, Kurow was able to suck away his demon powers.

Chibi and I tore at him like crazy, unleashing our fury unto him. When he got up, he flew into the air and we prepared for the worst, but then something strange happened.

He was engulfed in white lightning. He struggled a little, doubling over in pain. A moment later, he fell to the floor and a prison orb appeared behind him. It was surrounded with demonic energy with poor Kagu inside. The orb vanished without warning and Kagu fell downward.

Chibi and I rushed forward, my little brother catching her on his back.

"Kagu, are you alright?" I asked, rubbing her back.

"Uh. . .Ughhn. . ." was all she was able to mutter. I saw Kurow smile. "Good. She's still alive and kickin'. Now I just gotta stop the big guy here" he said, looking over at the controls.

I dashed to his side. "Let me help, Kurow" I said. He didn't object and we began typing as fast as we could go. After pressing a few buttons, the rumbling stopped. ". . .This should do it! Time ot shut down, dude!" he shouted.

"Alright Daidarabotchi, it's naptime!" I said. We hit the shutdown key at the same time. After a moment, the rumbling started up again. The magnitude go so powerful that it knocked us around for a minute, then it ceased altogether.

Looking up, I noticed that Daidarabotchi had indeed stopped, however. . .

Both his ears and the platform of which we were standing on had gone through the ceiling.

Kurow, Chibi and I looked at each other.

"Let's never do that again" I said in a sweet, but menacing undertone. Kurow nodded and took deep breaths. He glanced over at Chibi, who looked ready to do a Victory Howl. I transformed back into a wolf and took my place opposite of him.

Throwing our heads up, we howled:

"Let peace reign throughout the land!"

**A couple of minutes later. . . **

**Normal POV **

Kagu with them, the trio scampered over the now destroyed ruins and stopped to rest. Miyumi collapsed to the ground and was just about to go to sleep, when Gen's voice was heard.

"Ohh! You did it!" he cried. The group looked their left to see Gen and the young scholar woman coming towards them. "Kurow!" the young woman cried happily. She seemed relieved to see them.

"Did I deliver on my promise or what?" he asked, striking a heroic pose. Miyumi rolled her eyes.

"Oh brother. . ." she groaned, resting her head on her paws. Gen gave a light chuckle. The small group turned to see Daidarabotchi's ears, which were sticking out of the ground. Gen stared at it in awe, impressed by its height.

"Look at the size of that thing" he murmured.

"What is that. . .thing?" the scholar woman asked, turning to Kurow. The blonde boy smiled.

"Oh, this? It's the Daidarabotchi. It was made on the moon. It was encased in this stone ark and buried in the earth. . .That way it wouldn't be used for evil when the moon's society fell" he explained.

Miyumi sighed sadly, the remembered the information she'd collected. She would need to share that with Kurow and Chibi, but as of right now, she was too tired to move. Meanwhile, the scholar lady found herself amazed at what she just heard

"That sounds like quite a tale. . .Wait, did you say the moon?! And how do you know so much about it anyway?" she asked curiously. Kurow smirked at her. "Oh, you wanna know? You'll just have to wait for our date for that!" he replied, winking at her.

Miyumi sighed and padded over and plopped down beside her brother. She growled in his ear, "Stop that! You're embarrassing me!" she hissed. Kurow sweat dropped and scratched his head. Gen sighed, then something got his attention.

"Look! Over there!" he exclaimed. Dark smoke was gathering on the destroyed platform and a rotten odor drifted into Miyumi and Chibi's noses. Kurow didn't like the looks of the smoke. ". . .Oh, man. . .I'll check it out. You guys wait here" he murmured, "Dude, let the lady take care of Kagu" he said to Chibi.

"Okay!" Chibi yipped. After easing Kagu into the woman's arms and rousing his sister, Chibi and the other two bounded over to the platform. The smoke continued to come and King Fury appeared from it. He looked sick and weak. He seemed to be gasping for breath. As he breathed, the dark aura went in and out of him.

Kurow knew that the aura had not left the possessed man's body just yet. "The evil spirit's still inside his body. Sis, Dude, can you two, like, cut the evil out of him?" he asked, turning to his sister and partner. Miyumi tilted her head and looked at the suffering King Fury.

"We can try, but no promises. 'Kay Chibi, let's give it a shot!" she barked.

"Sure Sissy!" the little pup yipped.

Readying their Celestial Brushes and Holy Ink, the two young gods aimed carefully. The aura moving in and out of the man's body did make the situation difficult, so they would have to be fast. Being quick and careful, the two used Power Slash, slicing the aura in two.

The smoke dissolved away, leaving King Fury in its wake. The man grew still and Miyumi wondered if they had killed him. But when he transformed into a young Moon Tribesman, she sighed in relief. So, this was Sugawara, her paternal grandfather? She studied him carefully.

He was very much like her father. He had long golden hair, sky blue eyes, and pale skin. He wore a dark red kimono with purple trim and gold embroidery. His hat was maybe a dark greenish color and resembled a bird and it had a purple feather sticking upward.

He smiled down at them. "Ah, Children of the Sun. I am grateful to you both. You two have restored my spirit and given me peace" he said, his voice gentle and kind. Miyumi smiled up at him.

"_Excuse-moi _Sugawara. I need to show you something!" she yipped. Sugawara turned to her.

"Yes?" he asked.

Miyumi smiled and did a backflip. When she landed, she was in her Moon Tribe form. She giggled when Sugawara looked surprised. "Are you one of us?" he asked. Miyumi tilted her head and shrugged.

"Yes and no. I'm half Celestial, half Moon Tribe. I am Okami Miyumiterasu, Miyumi for short. My mother is Okami Amaterasu. My father is Ushiwaka, who I believe is your son. Chibiterasu over there is my younger brother, so we are both halfers" she stated. Sugawara's eyes widened, then softened as he smirked.

"So, my son actually got someone to be his wife? I am impressed" he said slyly. Miyumi snickered. Kurow rolled his eyes and Chibi barked up at his grandfather. "It was very nice to meet both of you. My grandson and granddaughter" the tribesman said happily.

Miyumi bowed and thanked him politely. Kurow butted in quickly.

"Well, I think we best get him to the spirit world. Yo, Mr. Sugawara! I think we can send you off in style. Right, boy?" he asked.

"You bet!" Chibi yipped. Drawing quickly he used the Bloom Technique to cover the spirit in a curtain of beautiful Cherry Blossom petals. Sugawara straightened up and breathed a sigh of happiness and tranquility. "Ahh. . .Thank you. . .My spirit may now move on to its final resting place" he stated.

Kurow was about to wish him farewell, when he remembered something.

". . .Hey, Mister. . ." he mumbled. Digging around in his robes, he removed his pendant and held it up for Sugawara to see. Miyumi showed him her pendant as well. Sugawara was not surprised to see one on Miyumi and Kurow.

"That emblem of yours. . .I take that you, like Miss Miyumi, are-" he asked, stopping short. Kurow nodded.

"Yeah, I'm from the Moon Tribe, just like you. Only, I'm not a hybrid like Sis is" he stated coolly.

"I see. . .It is good to see one of my brothers and my own grandchildren before departing" the tribesman murmured.

"Yeah. . .Same dude" Kurow said, before tucking his pendant away. Sugawara was about to leave, but then stopped. He had something important to tell Kurow. "Before I go, you said something during our fight. . .You said you don't have friends" he said sadly.

Kurow bit back a smart comment. He didn't like bring up the subject of having no friends. It was so depressing, but he spoke anyway. "Well, not since I came to this planet"

"Do you feel that you are alone?"

"Well. . .Kinda. Sure. But I have my sister and this dude here" Kurow stated, turning to look at his friends and traveling buddies. Chibi barked in reply. Miyumi said nothing, but she smiled.

"I have a feeling you will make many friends on your travels here. You will no longer feel alone. Friendship is the most important thing. . .even if those friends will let you down from time to time" Sugawara murmured. He didn't like the fact that Kurow felt alone. Loneliness was such an awful thing. It felt like you were the only one in the world or that nobody wanted to be around you.

Kurow took the tribesman's words to heart. It was true, he did feel alone. Even with his sister and his creator, he still felt the way he did. He didn't feel like he had a family. His sister was good company, when she wasn't in a bad mood that is. What caused her to snap so easily was beyond him. His creator, who he referred to as "Dad" was not really much of a father figure so to speak. Did his sister even care for him? Did his creator care at all? He'd let it go for now, but. . .that did not mean he would give up on finding friends.

Then, he remembered something. . .something his sister had told him while they were in the Ark.

"_You are not going to Earth to make friends, Kurow. You are going because you have a mission to do. If you fail at this, we are all doomed. If I could somehow protect you from your fate, I would, but I can't. Papa said that this is what you were created to do. Whether you and I like it or not. . .we have no choice. . .You have to do this, no matter the sacrifice" Miyumi stated coldly. _

Kurow smiled sadly, ". . .Yeah. . .I hear where you're coming from" he murmured. Sugawara smiled and, with one last goodbye and him asking Miyumi to tell her parents that he said hello, his spirit faded away into the sunlight.

Miyumi and Chibi found themselves crying.

"I think I know who was asking me for help all those hours ago. . ." Chibi sobbed. Miyumi morphed back into a wolf and continued to cry. She had just met her paternal grandfather and now he was gone.

"At least we met him. . ." she murmured under her breath. Chibi pushed himself against her side and the trio stared up at the bright blue sky. Kurow smiled and patted his sister on the shoulder. "You know that mystery mission I was on?" he asked, the two wolves turning to look at him.

Kurow hugged Miyumi's leg and closed his eyes. "I think it was to stop Sugawara since he's one of my people. . .Yeah, there's no doubt about it. . ." he sighed happily. Miyumi dropped her head, her heart filled with sadness. Kurow didn't know it yet, but his mission was far from over. "I guess I kinda did everything I was sent to do, huh?" he asked. Miyumi cried harder.

The boys looked up to see their sister crying even harder. Kurow played with one of her ears.

"Don't cry, Sis. Mister Sugawara will always be with ya" he reassured her. Miyumi cried more and more despite the comfort. Kurow had no idea that his sister was crying for **him**. Miyumi considered telling her brother his true mission, but decided against it. Kurow would most likely try to avoid his fate if at all possible.

She faked a smile and wiped away her tears. Then, Kagu shouted to them.

"Asa! Pooch!" she called. The trio turned to see the young miko running towards them, the scholar woman in tow. Chibi grinned. "Kagu!" he yipped, moving towards her. Miyumi and Kurow leapt after him, relieved to see Kagu alive.

Once they were in range, they greeted one another. "Kagu, are you alright?" Chibi barked. Kagu smiled.

". . .Don't worry, we're fine. Thank you for what you did" she said, turning to Kurow.

"Oh, you don't have to thank me" he mumbled, his voice getting softer. The girls looked to see Kurow's face become a mask of sadness.

Kagu looked surprised. Why was Kurow so upset? They won! Shouldn't he be happy?

"What's wrong? Why the long face?" she asked, her voice full of care. That kinda surprised the pups. When they first met Kagu, she was a bossy little girl, but she had matured into such a sweet person in a short amount of time.

Well, Kurow felt bad for Sugawara. "I know that Mr. Sugawara did some bad stuff. . .but I can't help feeling like he was hurt just as much" he mumbled. Miyumi nodded. She had seen the words on her grandfather's gravestone and that was proof enough of how he was treated. She couldn't stand racism, neither could Chibi. The younger pup had witnessed the anger and betrayal that his grandfather had felt when he died.

Kagu felt sadness inside her too. Some people could be so cruel. "No, you're probably right" she murmured. The pups nodded.

"Sissy and I have never been treated that way before. . .and when we stop think about how we might feel if that happened to us, well. . .it, uh-"

". . .It makes us very sad. . ."Miyumi finished for him in a low tone of voice. Kurow nodded.

"I think the least we could do is go and fix up his grave site" he stated. The moment touched the scholar's heart.

"Kurow. . ." she breathed, "Please, let me help you with that"

Kurow smirked. "Thank you, beautiful!" he said slyly, going over to the woman, "OK, well I'm outta here then. You two should go check up on the town"

Kagu smiled and agreed. When Kurow and the scholar left for the grave, Kagu told the wolves she needed to get back to her training. However, she wanted to team up for old time's sake. Miyumi said she would go help clean up the grave. She had to do something nice for her grandfather.

Kagu and Chibi did not argue with her and watched her as she left. When she was gone, the twosome headed off into town. Checking up on everyone was a nice and easy task. They returned the missing journals to the scholars and picked up the herbs they needed form Dr. Bluebeard.

Chibi suddenly remembered sweet, little Ayame and how she had maybe a year left to live. Chibi felt depressed, thinking about how that little girl was going to die. Then, an idea struck him like a Lightning Arrow from his Uncle Gekigami.

'_It's a long shot, but maybe if we combine these herbs with the ones Dr. Redbeard gave us. . .maybe, just maybe. . .it will save Ayame's life. . .'_ he thought. It was a long shot indeed. Ayame said there was no cure for her sickness, but did the doctors try _everything_? Thinking his idea might work, he and Kagu used the warp portal to travel to Yakushi Village.

Once there, they raced around to find Ayame's house. It would have taken a wile if not for some violent coughing fits coming from below. Following the sound of coughing the two found the right house and went inside. Going upstairs, they found Ayame lying in bed with her mother, Dr. Redbeard, and Tama surrounding her.

Ayame's mother looked frightened and on the verge and breaking out into tears.

"Oh, dear. . .Everthing's going to be OK" she lied to her child. It was the only thing she could do to keep her baby from panicking. Tama looked super nervous and grew angry when the doctor didn't do anything. "What are you doing, Redbeard? Help her!" he shouted. He didn't want someone, who loved his fireworks so much that they climbed a hill or two every day to see, to just die. Such a young child didn't deserve to die. She had her whole life ahead of her.

"The poor girl is really suffering here. . ." he added. Dr. Redbeard sighed sadly.

"I know, I know. I've tried every form of medicine known to man. Twice in fact" he stated. There was nothing he could do. The only thing they could really do now was make the child comfortable before she passed on to the next life.

Kagu stared in horror, then shouted to the doctor.

"Doctor! Dr. Redbeard!" she cried. The two bounded over to the red bearded man, who was surprised to see them.

"Kagu? What are you doing here?"

"I brought this! It's from Dr. Bluebeard!" the miko shouted, pulling out a blue flask, "You can mix it with your medicine!"

Dr. Redbeard was silent. Would this work? Everything else had failed or made Ayame's sickness worse. Could he? He might as well. This was their last chance. . . "Let me see that. . .That Bluebeard, always trying to one-up me. But this could work!" he shouted.

Taking the flask, he hurried out of the house.

**Half an hour later. . . **

"It's ready! I'm done!" the doctor shouted as he hurried up the stairs. Quickly opening the flask, he stooped down, held it to the girl's lips, and forced her to drink. Ayame didn't like the taste, but she had to take it whether she liked it or not.

After gulping it down, she moved a little. ". . .Ungh. . ." she groaned. Her mother paused.

"Ayame?" she asked, holding onto hope.

Ayame looked over at her mother. ". . .M-Mom. . ." she mumbled. Tama jumped for joy.

"She's awake again! She's talking, too!" he hollered. Dr. Redbeard sighed in relief. They all rejoiced. Ayame's mother asked how she would be able to thank the doctor, but he told her that she should thank Dr. Bluebeard. Upon telling Ayame that she could go anywhere, the little girl wondered if she would be okay.

Her mother said she would be as she cried tears of joy. Tama was so pumped up that he decided to put on a fireworks show to celebrate. Everyone headed outside to see Tama's best show yet. As Chibi watched the spectacular show, he wondered if his sister saw the performance.

And she did.

From all the way across Nippon, Miyumi spotted small bits of color exploding in the distance. She smiled. "You did good, Chibi. . .Kagu. . .You both did good" she whispered and went back to cleaning Sugawara's grave.

Back in Yakushi, when te show ended, the two headed back to Ryoshima Coast. They tried going to Gen's first, but he was too preoccupied with some weird machine he was building to pay attention to Kagu or her complaints.

After having their ears bleed for a while, the two went to Ryoshima and climbed up the cliff to meet up with Kurow, Miyumi and the scholar lady. Approaching the alter, the two noticed that Miyumi had reverted back into her Moon Tribe form. Her hair was still limp and loose but now had dark blue ribbons braided in random spots and her blue miko dress still glowed with beauty.

The alter, however, was the most beautiful. The roof looked strong and sturdy with four royal red pillars supporting it. The stone foundation was scrubbed clean and good as new with perfectly aligned steps. The gravestone itself was a brand new slab of stone which had been chiseled, scrubbed and dusted off and the words: _**"Here lies Sugawara, a great, kind and wonderful man, politician, son, husband, father, and grandfather. May he rest in peace for all eternity."**_ craved into it with care. Kurow had placed four golden candles around the slab and a pink flower down in front.

Miyumi placed some artifacts from the ruins in front of the grave too, including her grandfather's guitar weapon, some scrolls of the Lunar language, and some of her hair of which Sugawara had chopped off when he was evil. The chopped hair was now tied neatly with the torn remains of Miyumi's old hair ribbon and placed beside the other gifts. When she was finished, she knelt down to pray.

"You three did a great job with the grave" Kagu commented, taking in the beautiful sight before her. Miyumi didn't respond, she had to finish praying. Kurow smiled, happy to know that his work was impressive and appreciated.

"Yo, dudes. Whassup?" he asked, approaching his friends, "So, you like it? It's pretty boss if you ask me" he stated, feeling good. Miyumi finished her prayer and joined her friends.

"Well, what do you think? Isn't it lovely?" she asked. Kagu smiled and nodded.

"Yes. I'm sure Sugawara would be please as well" she gleamed. Miyumi sighed and sang a Lunar song. She was halfway through when the scholar woman was startled. "Ahh!" she screamed.

Miyumi stopped short and whipped around. Kurow did the same thing. "Yo. Whassup?!" he asked, shocked. Then, his pendant began to glow. He removed it from his robes and examined it.

"Dude. My pendant's glowing" he said. Miyumi looked at hers. It was glowing as well!

"Hey, mine is too!" she exclaimed. Kagu suddenly felt a rush of cold air.

"Something's wrong. . ." she murmured, stopping to think. Then, I hit here. "Oh no! It's the demon who possessed Sugawara!" she cried. The group stared at the alter just as a dark aura emitting poisonous smoke flew out of the ruins.

It repelled quickly, revealing a demon, the same demon Miyumi, Chibi and Kuni had seen in Hana Valley. Miyumi's face turned into a mask of pure rage. She had seen this demon one too many times before. She had seen hime while she was bleeding to death in Agata Forest and after they had defeat Sen and Ryo at the Playhouse.

The demon looked around, barely glancing their way as he took in his surroundings.

"This all belongs to me!" he shouted, passing the group below. Kurow looked panicked, but pulled out his flute. Miyumi pulled out and unsheathed Sakura Strike.

"D-Dude. . .What is that?!" he exclaimed, fear in his voice. Upon hearing the boy talk, the demon whipped around.

"Call me **Akuro**!" he screamed. His voice made the earth tremble and the disturbed the sea.

Kagu sweated with fear. "A-Akuro?" she asked. The demon smiled wickedly down at her.

"Yes! And I am the heir to the throne of darkness!" he cried. Miyumi clenched her fangs together.

"You little piece of. . .of. . .worthless trash!" she screamed. Akuro smirked and then opened his mouth. But he wasn't not going to speak. He began charging dark matter energy from his mouth. Once a giant sphere of the energy was formed, he fired it at Chibi.

Miyumi's eyes widened, but Chibi remained calm.

"CHIBI! MOVE!" she screamed. Chibi didn't move one inch. He braced himself for unbearable pain and suffering, but it never came. Instead, it rocketed past him, missing by a hair, and hit the Lunar Ruins. At first, nothing happened, then evil energy began to fly out until a massive explosion destroyed every little bit of the Ruins.

The groups' eyes widened with fear and shock. Akuro observed his work.

"Hmph. . .Just as I thought. My power is still not complete: I lack my full strength" he grumbled, going over to the group. Kurow could not believe what he just saw or heard. The sick demon had enough power! Why would he need more?! "Are you kidding me?! You've got enough power as it is!" he shouted.

Chibi landed on the ground without a scratch and growled at the demon. "Why you little-!" he snarled. He charged at Akuro, slamming into him, only to be electrocuted and shoved away.

Kagu screamed. "Aagh! Pooch!"

"_Tu es terrible, repugnant, et mal!_" Miyumi screamed at the demon. Akuro laughed manically and smirked.

"You are not ready for this, Children of the Sun! Resist if you like, but darkness will consume the world all the same. Everything that I see will become part of the darkness!" he roared. Kurow was slightly confused.

"Part of what darkness?" he asked, scared and unsure. Akuro, still smirking, looked at him.

"The two girls there know of what I speak. . .from when they were consumed by King Fury himself" he hissed. Kagu and Miyumi looked at each other before looking back up at the demon king.

They gulped, well Kagu did anyway. "T-That. . .was the darkness?" they asked in sync, both sweating like crazy.

Akuro nodded. "The world as you know it will be ruled by that same darkness. That is the world I will create. . .for Father, for Mother, for my Clan and most of all. . .It will be a new world for my younger brother, Yami!" he roared, laughing again.

Miyumi sweat dropped. ". . .And Issun calls my father a fruit cake. . ." she groaned

The scholar looked panicked. ". . .Yami. . ." she whispered.

Akuro cleared his throat. "Enjoy the time you have left. I must have words with Orochi before he meets his end. I will be back for you, Children of the Sun. I would advise you to put your affairs in order by then" he hissed. With that, he backed into his portal.

"Hey come back here!" Chibi yipped, trying to go after the demon. He almost had him, but the portal closed too fast and that was it.

Once the demon was gone, everyone fell to the ground, shaking like wet dogs. Kurow and Kagu were messed up the most. Miyumi sheathed her beam sword and was able to calm everyone down. They discussed on how Akuro would meet with Orochi. Kagu pointed out that Amaterasu had killed Orochi a year and half ago. She was confused.

Kurow pointed out that Akuro could travel through time and wanted a way to follow him. No one could come up with any ideas. Deciding that that was that, the group decided to return to the city, fear and sadness in their hearts.

Miyumi remained behind to pray some more for her grandfather and to ask her family for help.

"Please Mama. . .Papa. . .everyone. . .there must be something we can do. . .please, I beg you. . .help us. If you don't, everyone in this world will die. . ." she said, collapsing to the ground in tears.

Unbeknownst to her, up on the Celestial Plain, while the gods along with Waka and Kaguya were trying to find Miyumi and Chibi, Izanagi, the king of the gods and of the Celestial Plain, was in his private room.

He had heard Miyumi's prayer and walked over to the Divine Mirror Pool, a place where he could watch anyone from any location in all of space and time. He had known all along.

Yes, he had known that Miyumi and Chibi had left to save the world. He just didn't tell anyone else.

Why?

He didn't want their journey interrupted. Upon seeing Miyumi's crying image in the Divine Mirror Pool, his eyes softened.

"Do not worry, my beloved granddaughter. . .the answer you seek. . .is not out of your reach. . ."

**To Be Continued. . . **

**Chibi: That's it for this chapter! Stayed tuned for the next chapter: Back to the Past! Under the sea we go? **

**Miyumi: Review and adieu! Hope to see you soon!**


	15. Author's Final Note

Bonjour everyone. I have some bad news and it's really hard for me to do this, but. . .How do I put this? Due to my long-term absence from this story, I have decided to discontinue this story. . .for now. You see, I have been going through a Creepypasta phase and a Hetalia phase for over a year now and I find it difficult to think about Okami or any of the characters I created for it.

My Okami phase has long since passed. Unless I am able to re-motivate myself by playing the game or an Okami 3 comes out, I'm afraid that I am done with the fandom. I had a section of the next chapter already typed up, but I'll have to end things here for now.

I have kept you guys waiting for more than two years I think. I have heard that the Okami section has gone quiet as well. That doesn't surprise me much to be honest. Both games had their rise, climax, and fall. I'll miss you guys and I'm sorry, but I can't stand to just leave a story there, collecting dust.

Well, this is goodbye to the fandom and to all of you. . .for now at least. Miyumi, Chibi, Kurow. Time to say adieu.

**Miyumi: Au revoir mes amis! ****Nous espérons****vous revoir****!** (We hope to see you soon!)

**Chibi: Hai! ****Sayonara minna-san!**

**Kurow: Bye dudes and dudettes! Keep on being awesome!**

To be discontinued. . .for now.


End file.
